US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee tweeted in response to recent claims by Congressman Ro Khanna that he was held at gunpoint by Israelis during a visit to Judea and Samaria.
"We have had respectful relationship & hopefully will continue but call to US Embassy was AFTER your vehicle was stopped. We had no advance notice of your trip. I go often into Judea/Samaria & visit Palestinians. I publicly condemn ALL violence whether Israeli to Palestinian or Palestinian to Israeli," Huckabee wrote. "You would have been well served to have spent time with Israelis who were held hostage or victims of terror to understand big picture but you only chose to come in secretly with an anti-Israel activist to hear one version of reality."
Huckaee continued with an invitation for Ro to conduct a formal visit: "Please come back. Let me know when. I will go with you & we will meet with ppl in the PA & in Israel with Jewish, Christian, & Muslims We will visit Hadassah Medical Center which will destroy any notion of “apartheid “ & will arrange a classified briefing to dispel any doubt about the ridiculous claim that Israel engaged in “genocide." Let’s elevate the discussion. I’ll leave the light on for you!"
Huckabee also tweeted separately to denounce the claims that the embassy had been involved in planning Ro's trip. "The left-wing activist who set up this stunt says "The embassy is involved." That is NOT TRUE. We did NOT know a member of Congress was coming. We would have said don't go to restricted zone. As FACTS come out, it's not helping the desired narrative. Not "held at gunpoint.""
Khanna had originally claimed that he had been held at gunpoint by Israelis, and that soldiers called to the area had only aided in the detention. He had also alleged that only a call to the US Embassy had brought the intervention of the Israel Police to escort his group safely out of the area.