US Envoy Huckabee Says Two-State Solution Not a Priority for Trump Administration By The Media Line Staff US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the creation of a Palestinian state is not a priority for the Trump administration, signaling a shift from decades of US policy that traditionally supported a two-state solution. In an interview […]
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The Media Line: US Envoy Huckabee Says Two-State Solution Not a Priority for Trump Administration
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US Envoy Huckabee Says Two-State Solution Not a Priority for Trump Administration
By The Media Line Staff
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the creation of a Palestinian state is not a priority for the Trump administration, signaling a shift from decades of US policy that traditionally supported a two-state solution.
In an interview with Al Arabiya English’s CounterPoints program, presented by Melinda Nucifora, Huckabee explained that President Donald Trump is focused on achieving peace in the region, but Palestinian statehood is not part of his current agenda. “I certainly haven’t heard the president say that this is one of the most important things we’ve got to look for,” Huckabee said.
The ambassador placed responsibility for stalled peace efforts on both the Palestinian Authority and European governments, accusing them of undermining progress. “Every time we think we’re working toward them and getting there, we see actions by the Europeans or the Palestinian Authority that completely disrupt it,” he said.
Huckabee criticized the PA for pursuing “unilateral recognition” of statehood while continuing practices such as paying stipends to families of attackers. He called these policies “counterproductive” to the peace process.
Pointing to Gaza as a failed model, Huckabee said the enclave had once been a fully Palestinian state. “It was a 100 percent Palestinian state. People see how that turned out. That did not exactly endear folks looking at it to say, yeah, that ought to work out really, really well,” he said.
For now, he added, Palestinian efforts to bypass the Oslo framework mean statehood is not on the table. “But it’s not the US decision to make,” Huckabee said. “The US is going to be supportive of our allies. We’re going to be supportive of peace.”
The ambassador also urged European leaders to “reassess their actions” on recognizing Palestinian statehood and instead direct pressure at Hamas. “Stop putting so much pressure on how Israel is defending itself against Hamas,” Huckabee said, “and start putting the pressure on radical military actions that were intended to kill Jewish people.”