Newly confirmed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says he will place a handwritten prayer from President Donald Trump on the Western Wall as his first official act on Friday after he's officially sworn in.
"The first thing I'm going to do is to take a prayer that the President gave me on Thursday when I met with him at the White House," he stated. "And I'm going to take it to the Western Wall and I'm going to place it there on behalf of the American people and on behalf of the President."
Last week, the former Arkansas governor was officially confirmed by the Senate to be the Trump administration's ambassador to Israel on a near party line vote of 53-46. Only Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman, a firm supporter of Israel, broke with his party to support Huckabee.
"I can't think of a better way to begin my tenure," Huckabee said, "than to let the people of Israel know that the President stands with them, he wants their safety, their security, and he wants the hostages home and that's the first priority. Especially the American hostage that's been held there since October the 7th of 2023."
Huckabee worked as an ordained Southern Baptist minister prior to a career in politics and sought the GOP nomination for president in 2008 and 2016. His past statements regarding Israel and Palestine have earned scorn from those on political and religious left. Detractors note his previous assertion that there is "no such thing as a Palestinian" and described the identity as a "political tool to try and force land away from Israel." During the nomination process Huckabee affirmed that his role as ambassador was to promote the policy of the Trump administration and not advance his personal views.
"I am not here to articulate or defend my own views or policies, but to present myself as one who will respect and represent the President whose overwhelming election by the people will hopefully give me the honor of serving as ambassador to the State of Israel," Huckabee said in his opening statement.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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