Huckabee says he’s not in charge of policy, but West Bank annexation ‘of course’ a possibility during Trump’s 2nd term

In an interview with Army Radio, US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the position of ambassador to Israel says that “of course” annexation of the West Bank is a possibility, but notes that he is not the one who sets policy.

“Well I have been as you know, a frequent visitor to Judea and Samaria,” Mike Huckabee says, using the Biblical term for the West Bank favored by those on the right wing.

“I also very much believe that the people of Israel deserve a secure and safe country and anything I can do that will help accommodate that is going to be a great privilege for me,” he says.

The anchors say they then pushed Huckabee again on whether West Bank annexation is a possibility during Trump’s second term. The outlet did not broadcast the reporters asking him the question.

“Well of course. I won’t make the policy, I will carry out the policy of the president, but he has already demonstrated in his first term that there’s never been an American president that has been more helpful in securing an understanding of the sovereignty of Israel — from the moving of the embassy, recognition of the Golan Heights, and Jerusalem as the capital, no one has done more than president Trump and I fully expect that will continue,” Huckabee says.

When asked about the possibility of rebuilding Israeli settlements in Gaza, Huckabee says “well I haven’t had time to process that” and repeats that it’s not his job to set policy, but instead to to carry it out.

Huckabee also says that he is “incredibly honored” that Trump asked him to take the role.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to be able to represent my country to a land that I have loved since I first visited there in July 1973,” he says.

“And with dozens and dozens of trips that I have made to Israel and having taken tens of thousands of Americans there to see the land, I cannot tell you what a joy it is to be able to serve in this capacity,” he says.

Huckabee, 69, has been one of the evangelical Christian community’s most ardent supporters of Israel. He is the first non-Jew nominated for the post since James Cunningham was tapped by then-US president George W. Bush in 2008.

He has called Israel’s claim to the West Bank stronger than American ties to Manhattan and laid bricks in 2018 as ground was broken on a new housing complex in the settlement of Efrat.

However, at least two officials in Trump’s previous administration have warned senior Israeli ministers not to assume that the president-elect will support Israel annexing the West Bank in his second term, three sources familiar with the conversations told The Times of Israel.

Jacob Magid contributed to this report.