US Ambassador Huckabee Defends Israeli West Bank Settlements Amid Expansion Plans

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has publicly supported Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, asserting that it does not violate international law despite widespread international condemnation and explicit prohibitions under the Geneva Conventions. Huckabee defended Israel's recent approval of the E1 settlement plan, describing it as a reaction to European countries' moves to recognize Palestinian statehood unilaterally at the UN, which he argues violates the Oslo Accords and incentivizes further Israeli annexation. He uses the terms Judea and Samaria instead of West Bank, reflecting his ideological stance that Israel has a rightful claim to the territory, and denies that Israel is an occupying power. Huckabee's position marks a continuation of the Trump administration's policy shift that reversed decades of US opposition to settlements. His rhetoric also includes dismissing the legitimacy of Palestinian statehood and identity, consistent with his long-held views. The ambassador emphasizes the strategic US-Israel alliance and frames criticism of Israeli policies as an insult to this partnership, underscoring the current US administration's robust backing of Israel's actions in the region.