Mike Huckabee, the newly appointed US ambassador to Israel, has stirred controversy with his recent remarks directed at UK politician Keir Starmer. Shortly after the November presidential election, then President-elect Donald Trump nominated Huckabee. He became the first evangelical Christian to serve in this capacity. His remarks have ignited a national conversation about the continuing war in Gaza and the wider impacts of US foreign policy.
In a fiery tweet-storm, Huckabee responded sharply to Starmer’s call for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza. He further responded to Starmer’s concern over the developing humanitarian catastrophe in the area. Yet Huckabee completely evaded the humanitarian concerns. Instead, he bloody scythed Starmer by directly comparing him to the Allied bombing of Dresden in World War II. He went on to ask, “Ever heard of Dresden, PM Starmer? That wasn’t food you threw down. But if you had been PM then UK would be speaking German!
Huckabee was not shy about his comments. He went on to say that Starmer’s reprimands were inconveniently directed and called for Muslim nations to be responsible for creating an independent Palestinian state. Huckabee made his remarks against the backdrop of the Muslim countries controlling 644 times the land area controlled by Israel. He maintained that these countries should be able to provide territory for this, and not present demands only on Israel.
In defending Israel’s actions, Huckabee claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sent two million tons of food to Gaza. He challenged Starmer for failing to deliver aid, asking, “How much food has Starmer and the UK delivered to Gaza already? Secretary Huckabee’s bellicosity underscores just how deeply subservient Secretary Huckabee is to Israeli interests. He will not even call Israeli settlements what they are, choosing instead to call them “communities.”
Huckabee’s comments have already been rightly raked over the hot coals for not only their tone but their content, specifically his historical allusions and equivalencies. The bombing of Dresden—to this day a symbol of innocent civilian suffering during wartime—resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of non-combatants. While this senseless murder continues to be a painful issue, exactly the right kind of question.
This is far from the first time Huckabee has made inflammatory statements about Palestinians. In 2008, he famously stated that “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian,” which has led to sustained debate over his stance on Middle Eastern issues.
As tensions rise in the region and political leaders grapple with the complexities of the ongoing conflict, Huckabee’s statements serve as a reminder of the polarized views surrounding US foreign policy and its implications for international relations.