Huckabee defends calling violent settlers ‘terrorists’: They’re ‘pouring gas on a fire’

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee doubled down on Tuesday on his description of extremist West Bank settlers as “terrorists” during an interview with Channel 12. He argued that when acts are committed that cause people to live in fear and change their behavior, it meets the US definition of terror. Referring to the ongoing siege of homes in the village of Qusra, Huckabee labeled the perpetrators as “unsettlers” who are damaging Israel and the Jewish people rather than helping the cause they claim to support.

Addressing reports of a confrontation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner during a meeting on Monday, Huckabee denied that any such clash occurred. He stated that all parties agreed on the necessity of Hamas being disarmed and demilitarized, asserting that the group has no future in the governance of Gaza.

Regarding the potential for Israeli withdrawals from Gaza, Huckabee clarified that the US does not expect Israel to shift its boundaries as long as Hamas remains armed. He reiterated that the US respects Israel’s right to defend itself against imminent threats and that the disarmament of Hamas remains the central objective of the proposed plan.

In a separate interview with Channel 13, Huckabee addressed criticism regarding Jared Kushner’s recent meeting with senior Hamas officials in Cairo. He explained that the meeting was not an engagement with honest brokers, but a necessary channel to deliver a clear message from the United States: that Hamas must disarm, demilitarize, and accept that it has no future in the region.