ISLAMABAD: Washington’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, recently stated that he does not believe an independent Palestinian state remains a goal of US foreign policy.
His remarks, made in an interview with Bloomberg News, have stirred significant debate and prompted clarifications from the US State Department.
When asked if a Palestinian state remains a US policy objective, Huckabee replied, “I don’t think so.”
US Response and Policy Ambiguity
The White House referred to earlier comments by President Trump proposing US administration over Gaza—a move widely criticized as a call for ethnic cleansing.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce distanced official policy from Huckabee’s personal views, stating, “I think he certainly speaks for himself.”
Bruce declined to comment on whether Huckabee’s statement indicated a shift in US policy, emphasizing that policy decisions rest with President Trump and his administration.
Huckabee’s Perspective and Regional Impact
Huckabee, known as a staunch pro-Israel conservative and evangelical Christian, expressed skepticism about the prospects of a Palestinian state emerging within the current generation.
He suggested that rather than pressuring Israel to cede land, a new state could be carved out from another Muslim-majority country, questioning the necessity of a Palestinian state specifically in Judea and Samaria (the biblical term for the West Bank).
This viewpoint has sparked concerns amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian tensions, including recent Israeli airstrikes that have caused significant casualties near humanitarian aid sites in Gaza.
Medical sources report at least 35 Palestinians were killed in the latest strikes, with many victims near US-backed aid centers, underscoring the fragile situation on the ground.
As diplomatic uncertainty lingers, the future of Palestinian statehood remains highly contentious and unresolved.
