Trump will bring ‘something bold, of biblical proportion to Mideast’, says incoming ambassador Huckabee

Trump will bring ‘something bold, of biblical proportion to Mideast’, says incoming ambassador Huckabee

All Israel News Staff

Incoming U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee was interviewed on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, where he claimed President Donald Trump is bringing a change “of biblical proportion” to the Middle East. 

Speaking shortly after Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s interview on the same show, Huckabee said, “What the Israelis want is something simple: They want peace. They want their people home.” 

Herzog spoke about the situation of the returning hostages the previous day, saying the hostages had been held “in captivity, solely in tunnels, in terrible situations.” 

Showing a before and after picture of returned hostage Eli Sharabi, whose family was killed on Oct. 7, Herzog said, “They [the hostages] came back emaciated and what we hear from them are horror stories which only exemplify why we must do the deal,” and then he thanked U.S. President Trump for “being such a strong force in bringing the deal and making it happen.” 

Huckabee, whose appointment is still pending Senate approval, also praised Trump’s efforts in the Middle East. 

Huckabee said about Trump’s policy moves in Israel and Gaza, “I think when you listen to the president, he makes it very clear there are two things that are fundamental; two things that drive everything. One, get the hostages home. And two, make sure that Israel never has to experience the massacre that they experienced on October the 7th."

Huckabee also pushed back against efforts for a two-state-solution which is being pushed by European and Arab countries as a way to end the conflict. He said that Hamas must be removed. 

“As long as Hamas exists, that is a threat to the Israelis,” Huckabee stated. “They have said even as recent as two weeks ago that they would try to do another October the 7th. So let's not be in any way fooled that they want peace. They don’t. They want the destruction of the Jewish state. And America must help protect the people of Israel, the Jewish state, and the Jewish people. It's as simple as that, and you can't do it as long as Hamas is in play.” 

Asked by Bartiromo what he thinks will happen in Gaza, and whether the U.S. will, in fact, take ownership, Huckabee declined to provide specifics. 

“I don't think we know. The one thing we know is that Hamas is not going to be able to exist. That's just a done deal. It's sort of like saying Iran can't have a nuclear weapon and Hamas cannot continue to exist. They can never have anything to do with the governance of Gaza,” he responded. 

Huckabee said that Israel already tried giving the Palestinians a state, when they handed over Gaza. 

“They militarily marched 10,000 Jewish people out of Gaza, turned it into a complete Palestinian state, and the result we saw [on] October the 7th. So there's something that has to be rethought,” he explained. 

“We don't know exactly what might happen in Gaza, but here's what could have happened in Gaza,” Huckabee continued. “Gaza could have been Singapore. Instead, Hamas turned it into Haiti and in fact, maybe worse, far worse than that. So let's hope that people will listen to President Trump.” 

“I'm personally optimistic that we're going to see something bold. I will use this term, Maria. I think we will see something of biblical proportion happen with his leadership in the Middle East.” 

The incoming ambassador told Bartimoro that he is still waiting on Senate confirmation to assume his position officially in Israel; “It’s all up in the hands of the Senate.” 

“I hope it's soon because I think that our country needs our ambassador in place in this very, very delicate and difficult region. And so I would hope that even Democrats would say the sooner the better.”