U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee pushed back Wednesday against criticism that the American mission in Israel is neglecting citizens amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, while highlighting the completion of a long-sought agreement for the future U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
In a detailed social media post, Huckabee addressed accusations that announcing the embassy land deal was inappropriate during wartime and implied that embassy staff were distracted from helping Americans depart the country.
“Are People ‘stranded’ in Israel right now?" he asked, directly responding to a critical comment on his platform. Huckabee noted that the agreement on the location for the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem - a project spanning the first Trump administration, the Biden years, and now consummated under the current U.S. and Israeli governments - is set to be formally signed in the coming days.
The ambassador stressed that the U.S. Mission continues routine diplomatic work despite the challenges. All facilities in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are officially closed except for essential staff duties, with the mission operating under a “shelter in place" and “work from home" posture due to security directives. Staff conduct meetings via Teams or Zoom, cancel large events per Israeli Home Front Command orders, and remain vigilant about nearby shelters even for basic errands.
Huckabee emphasized the team’s resilience: “Work from home isn’t binge-watching a Netflix series-our people are ‘WORKING’ from home." The mission has been heavily focused on real-time war-related tasks, including assisting U.S. citizens with departure and taking shelter during the 90-second window after sirens sound.
Addressing claims of Americans being “stranded," Huckabee argued that the term implies desperation not reflected in the current situation, now roughly a month into the conflict with Iran.
“Most people who REALLY wanted or NEEDED to depart did so several weeks ago," he wrote. Early efforts included specially designated flights from Ben Gurion Airport, chartered flights to Athens (for onward travel to the U.S.), and bus services to Taba, Egypt, and Amman, Jordan. Demand for the Taba buses eventually dropped to the point where they ran empty, and some U.S.-sponsored charters to Athens departed nearly empty after no-shows. Some travelers reportedly declined available options unless they offered nonstop flights to specific U.S. airports of their choice.
The embassy continues to run buses to Amman, where seats remain available, and assists those contacting them. Limited commercial flights still operate from Ben Gurion, while Taba offers additional capacity due to demand. Huckabee acknowledged that some Americans now wish to return for Passover, family events like birthdays or weddings, or other personal reasons, expressing sympathy but noting the constraints of safety-related flight restrictions.
He drew a sharp distinction between inconvenience and true desperation: “I’m not ‘stranded.’ … I’m not aware of any U.S. citizen who is sleeping on a park bench, hiding in a cave, or eating from dumpsters. That is ‘stranded.’ Most have homes or apartments and others are in hotels."
Huckabee himself has been living in the Command Center for the past month, sleeping on a camping cot and preparing meals with a microwave and hot plate. “I came here by choice (and Presidential appointment). I remain here by choice," he said.
The ambassador clarified that completing the embassy site agreement does not detract from evacuation support. The deal will enable a consolidated U.S. Mission in a single Jerusalem location, completing the shift from Tel Aviv (with some consular and other functions remaining there). Negotiations spanned years, and the announcement reflects continued operational capacity even under duress.
“Our very dedicated team is focused on assisting the departure of American citizens who want to go to the U.S. for whatever reason. And they are doing it around the clock," Huckabee wrote. “Against great challenges, they are doing the work. ALL of it. And we are all proud to serve our bosses, the people of America and proud to serve the United States of America."