Huckabee Proposes Hosting Palestinian State in Muslim Countries, Sparks Diplomatic Outcry
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has stirred international controversy by suggesting that Muslim countries could offer land for the creation of a Palestinian state, rather than establishing it within the occupied Palestinian territories.
Huckabee pointed out that Muslim nations collectively control significantly more land than Israel and proposed, “maybe someone would say, ‘We’d like to host [a Palestinian state].’” He questioned why the state must be located on land currently claimed by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, an idea central to the long-supported two-state solution.
The comments sparked immediate backlash, with critics arguing the suggestion echoes long-rejected proposals by ultra-nationalist groups and violates international law. Rights organizations and European governments have firmly maintained that Palestinian self-determination must occur within the territories currently under Israeli occupation since 1967.
Huckabee’s remarks come amid rising global tension over Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Just hours earlier, the UK and several allies imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, citing incitement of violence against Palestinians. Huckabee called those sanctions a “shocking decision,” defending the ministers as elected officials and accusing allied nations of overreach.
In a separate Bloomberg interview, Huckabee further distanced the US from the traditional goal of a Palestinian state, calling the two-state solution merely “aspirational.” The US State Department, however, clarified that Huckabee’s views do not represent official policy, reaffirming that the President sets foreign policy, not ambassadors.
The ambassador’s views align with a hardline vision for Israeli control over all disputed territories, using biblical terminology like “Judea and Samaria” for the West Bank. His rhetoric reflects the stance of far-right factions within the Israeli coalition, some of whom have advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians to neighboring Arab countries—an act considered illegal under international law.
As diplomatic efforts intensify, including an upcoming UN conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia to explore a roadmap for Palestinian statehood, Huckabee dismissed such moves as “ill-timed and inappropriate,” warning they could undermine Israel’s security.
The controversy underscores a growing divide within the international community over the future of the Middle East. While European nations continue to pressure Israel through diplomatic and economic measures, US rhetoric appears increasingly fractured, reflecting deeper policy uncertainty.
The war in Gaza, triggered by the Hamas attacks in October 2023, has left more than 54,000 Palestinians dead, including thousands of children, according to health officials in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, with over 50 hostages still held by Hamas and widespread displacement across the region.
This latest development adds fuel to an already volatile international debate over the legitimacy, location, and future of a Palestinian state—one that is far from being resolved.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aZk9-la0tBs
