U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee traveled to the occupied West Bank on Saturday and met with local officials and Palestinian Americans who have experienced settler attacks firsthand, Al Jazeera reported.
Huckabee said the Israeli government bears responsibility for the safety of Palestinians living under occupation. "One of the messages that we have been sending and we will continue to send is that people in these communities have a right to live with a level of security and safety, and that the government has a responsibility to make sure that happens," Huckabee told reporters.
The ambassador visited Turmus Aya, a village that has seen escalating settler violence. Al Jazeera correspondent Nida Ibrahim reported from the village that Huckabee met not only with officials but also with Palestinian Americans who live there and have witnessed settler attacks directly. Ibrahim said those residents want the ambassador to relay the message that the violence is systematic and ongoing, and that they need actual change.
One resident Huckabee met was Ruwan Alqam, a U.S.-Palestinian woman who relocated to Turmus Aya from Texas with her family four months ago. Alqam described a pattern of encounters with settlers whenever the family leaves home. On a recent day trip to Nablus, the family was blocked from returning when settlers attacked their car with rocks. "They're not being held accountable for their actions — endangering Palestinians is a fun activity for them," Alqam said of the settlers. She described the violence as coming from "not a minority" among Israelis.
Alqam said Huckabee was receptive during the meeting and added: "We are in desperate need of attention here."
At a press availability afterward, Huckabee described a firm U.S. position on settler accountability. "Our clear message is that crime is crime, terror is terror. When people do it, they should have an expectation that they will have severe consequences," he said.
Ibrahim noted that settlers in the area had written slogans against Palestinians and also against Huckabee himself on walls in the village. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera described the visit as largely symbolic.
