BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned what he described as “lawlessness” by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, saying American citizens living in the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya had reported vandalised homes, threats against children, violence and intimidation.
Huckabee made the remarks following a town hall meeting he held in Turmus Ayya, according to a post on X.
“I support Israelis living in Judea/Samaria where they have right to be, but no student of Bible supports lawlessness,” Huckabee wrote, referring to the Israeli term for the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
Huckabee has increasingly criticised settler violence in recent months, marking a shift from his longstanding support for Israeli settlements and his previous argument that Israel has a biblical claim to the West Bank.
In July, he condemned attacks on the Christian village of Taybeh as “sacrilege” and “terror”.
In mid-August, following attacks on Palestinian homes in Qusra, including a property belonging to a dual US citizen, Huckabee went further and described those involved as “Israeli terrorists”.
The terminology was notable because US officials have historically avoided using the term “terrorist” in reference to Jewish settlers.
This week, Huckabee said attacks by settlers were causing “serious damage” to Israel’s international standing.
