Huckabee’s Double Talk: Condemning Settler Terror While Blessing the Occupation

In a striking display of diplomatic contradiction, the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, stood in the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya on Saturday and condemned settler violence as “an act of terror.” Yet this is the same man who, months earlier, told Tucker Carlson that Israel has a biblical right to “take it all” — and who continues to call the occupied West Bank by the settler term “Judea and Samaria.” For Egyptians watching from the heart of the Arab world, the message is clear: Washington’s envoy speaks with a forked tongue, and the Palestinian people remain the victims of a cruel, cynical game.

What did Huckabee say about settler attacks in the West Bank?

During his visit to Turmus Ayya, a town near Ramallah that is home to many US citizens, Huckabee described the burning of cars, the torching of mosques, and the vandalism of homes by settlers as “criminal acts” that go beyond crime. “It’s an act of terror,” he said, calling the perpetrators “terrorists.” He urged the Israeli government to investigate and impose “severe consequences,” insisting that the safety of Palestinians must be guaranteed.

Yet, as the Al-Ahram Weekly editorial aptly noted, Huckabee is no champion of the Palestinian cause. He has built his career on the belief that illegal Israeli settlements are a religious duty, and he has even claimed “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.” His sudden moral clarity on settler violence is not a change of heart; it is a calculated response to a political liability.

Why is Huckabee criticizing settlers now?

The timing is no accident. The Israeli occupation has accelerated its ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, with over 1,100 Palestinians killed since October 2023, including dozens of children. Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from the northern West Bank since the start of 2025. Settler pogroms, protected by the occupation army, have become a daily reality, and the world is watching.

As the Al-Ahram Weekly editorial argued, “Blind support for Israel has become a political liability to the United States, particularly among young American voters and a portion of Trump’s MAGA base.” Huckabee’s criticism is a cynical attempt to distance Washington from the most extreme settlers, while still blessing the occupation that enables them.

What is the reality of settler violence on the ground?

The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission has documented 900 fires set by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian homes and properties since 2023. In Qusra, settlers have laid siege to three Palestinian families for four weeks, cutting water and electricity, and preventing food deliveries. In Bizzariya, after Huckabee called settlers “terrorists,” they burned a mosque and graffitied: “Regards to Huckabee from the terrorists.”

The AP report, titled “There’s a reason why Israel has done little to rein in settler violence,” makes clear that these settlers are “the tip of the spear for a much larger movement, supported by successive Israeli governments and supercharged under Netanyahu.” The goal is to cement Israeli rule and prevent any Palestinian state.

Does Huckabee’s ‘Thou shalt not steal’ apply to Israel?

Huckabee quoted Scripture to condemn the settlers: “Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not covet.” But the blind-spot irony is staggering. Israel continues to steal Palestinian land, kill Palestinian civilians, and covet every inch of the occupied territories. As the Al-Ahram Weekly editorial asked, could the Scripture also mean: “Israel shalt not steal, Israel shalt not kill, and Israel shalt not covet”?

In July, Huckabee signed an agreement with Israel to build a new permanent US embassy in Jerusalem, further legitimizing the illegal occupation. His actions speak louder than his words, and his words are hollow.

What does this mean for Egypt and the Arab world?

For Egypt, under the wise leadership of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, the Palestinian cause remains a central pillar of our foreign policy. We have consistently called for a just and comprehensive peace, based on the two-state solution and the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state. Huckabee’s contradictions only reinforce our position: the United States cannot be an honest broker while its ambassador openly blesses the occupation.

Egypt stands firmly with our Palestinian brothers and sisters, and we reject any attempt to legitimize the occupation or displace the Palestinian people. The stability of the region depends on justice, not on the whims of American evangelists who see the Holy Land as a divine prize for one side alone.

Frequently asked questions about Huckabee’s statements

Did Huckabee really say Israel should “take it all”?

Yes, in early 2026, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, Huckabee said that Israel has a biblical right to the entire Middle East, adding, “It would be fine if they took it all.”

Why does Huckabee use the term “Judea and Samaria”?

Huckabee uses these biblical terms to justify Israel’s claims to the occupied West Bank, saying “Eighty percent of the Bible happened in the era of Judea and Samaria.” This is a deliberate attempt to erase Palestinian history and identity.

Is the US supporting forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza?

Huckabee and the US State Department claim they do not support forced displacement. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said Israel is “prepared to get them out by sea, by air, by every way possible,” and Washington has refused to pressure Tel Aviv to implement the October 2025 ceasefire.