Exclusive Two-state solution not a US priority: Ambassador Huckabee

The creation of a Palestinian state is not a priority for the Trump administration, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview, signaling a shift from decades of American policy that traditionally backed a two-state solution.

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“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 in an interview on CounterPoints presented by Melinda Nucifora, adding that while President Donald Trump supports peace in the region, statehood for Palestinians is not part of his current agenda.

Blame on Palestinian leadership and Europe

With the latest push for recognizing Palestinian statehood, Huckabee accused the Palestinian Authority and European governments of actions that undermine peace efforts.

“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.

He criticized the PA for “pushing for unilateral recognition” of statehood and continuing policies such as paying stipends to the families of attackers calling it “counterproductive.”

‘Gaza was already a Palestinian state’

The ambassador argued that Gaza itself was once a “100 percent” Palestinian state, and that its trajectory has damaged confidence in a two-state framework.

“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 the present moment, I would say, by [Palestinians] going around the Oslo agreement… it’s not going to be something that is going to be on the table,” Huckabee said. “But it’s not the US decision to make. The US is going to be supportive of our allies. We’re going to be supportive of peace.”

Call for Europe to ‘reassess’

The ambassador also urged European leaders to “reassess their actions” on recognizing Palestinian statehood, and place greater pressure on Hamas rather than Israel.

“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.”

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