In a deeply controversial stance, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that the United States no longer considers the establishment of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank as part of its policy. Instead, he floated the idea that Muslim-majority nations could donate land to create a Palestinian state outside traditional Palestinian territories, a statement drawing sharp criticism and heightening regional tensions.
Shift from Traditional US Policy
Speaking to Bloomberg, Mike Huckabee—an appointee of former US President Donald Trump and a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements—dismissed the decades-old US commitment to a two-state solution. “Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it,” Mike Huckabee said, suggesting that a Palestinian state was unlikely to emerge “in our lifetime.”
He went further to imply that neighboring Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia, could provide land for Palestinians. When asked if land from Saudi Arabia could be used, he replied, “Every option should be on the table.” Justifying his stance, Mike Huckabee argued that Muslim-majority countries collectively hold hundreds of times more land than Israel, suggesting they should accommodate Palestinians instead of expecting territorial concessions from Israel.
Reactions and Regional Concerns
Mike Huckabee’s statements have raised alarm in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, where leaders are wary of any attempts to forcibly relocate Palestinians. His comments follow similar controversial suggestions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in May stated that ending the Gaza conflict would require Palestinians to be relocated and Gaza transformed into a “Middle East Riviera.”
This rhetoric undermines decades of international consensus, including the long-standing American policy that sees East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza—occupied by Israel in 1967—as the foundation for a future Palestinian state. Experts say Mike Huckabee’s position represents a more extreme approach than even Trump’s “Deal of the Century,” which at least proposed a pseudo-state within the occupied West Bank.
Mike Huckabee, a leading figure in the pro-Israel evangelical Christian movement, has previously denied Palestinian national identity and openly supported Israel’s annexation of the West Bank. His latest remarks are likely to add fuel to the already volatile debate over Palestinian self-determination and regional stability.
