Tel Aviv: US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee used a conference in the occupied West Bank to emphasise what he described as Israel’s foundational importance to the United States, saying America’s existence is rooted in the Jewish heritage associated with the land, Middle East Monitor reported.
“..without Israel, the United States would not exist,” the news house quoted Huckabee.
Huckabee made the remarks on Tuesday during an event held at Herodium National Park, near Bethlehem, titled the “International Conference on Israeli Heritage and Archaeology in Judea and Samaria”. The designation Judea and Samaria is the term used by Israel for the West Bank.
Addressing the gathering, Huckabee said his responsibilities as ambassador went beyond diplomatic representation and included communicating Israel’s significance to the United States. He told attendees that the heritage being discussed was not solely Israel’s but also formed part of the historical inheritance claimed by the United States.
The ambassador claimed that the United States was rooted in the Jewish and biblical heritage associated with the land of Israel and argued that America owed its existence to that historical foundation. His remarks were delivered in the presence of Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu.
The comments came amid attention on statements made earlier in the day by US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in France. Trump had asserted that Israel’s existence depended on both him and the United States.
Huckabee’s speech followed those remarks by several hours and appeared to present a different emphasis, focusing on Israel’s influence on the United States rather than America’s role in Israel’s survival.
Huckabee has been serving as the US ambassador to Israel since April 2025. His address at the conference highlighted the close political and historical framing of US-Israel relations advanced during the event.