NEWS
“After all, 80% of the Bible happened in Judea and Samaria…“ — US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee Defends Israeli Settlements in West Bank, Citing 3,800-Year Jewish Connection to Judea and Samaria
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has defended continued Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, arguing that the region’s profound religious and historical significance to the Jewish people cannot be separated from decisions concerning where Israeli communities are established.
According to a video posted by the Jerusalem Post on Thursday, September 3, 2026, Huckabee made the remarks while responding to questions surrounding the construction of new Israeli communities in the West Bank, which he repeatedly referred to by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria.
The ambassador pointed to the provisions of the 1993 Oslo Accords, arguing that Israelis have a legal right to build in Area C, the portion of the West Bank that remains under Israeli administrative and security control.
Huckabee also linked the issue of settlement construction to Israel’s growing population and increasing Jewish immigration, particularly amid what he described as rising antisemitism around the world.
According to the US envoy, Israel has a responsibility to provide places for its growing population to live, while maintaining a connection to territories that he considers central to Jewish history and religious identity.
He particularly highlighted the biblical significance of Judea and Samaria, claiming that approximately 80 percent of events described in the Bible took place in the region. He also referenced the location of the first tabernacle as part of the area’s historical importance.
Huckabee argued that the Jewish connection to the territory stretches back approximately 3,800 years, making it impossible, in his view, to discuss Israeli settlement activity without taking that historical relationship into account.
His comments come amid continued international controversy over Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, with critics arguing that settlement activity complicates prospects for a future Palestinian state, while Israel and its supporters frequently emphasize historical, religious and security considerations.
The ambassador, however, sought to distinguish the broader issue of Israeli communities in the area from violence committed by individuals.
Huckabee acknowledged concerns surrounding attacks and other acts of violence attributed to a small number of people in the region. He said some of those involved do not actually live in the area and, therefore, should not necessarily be classified as settlers.
He further noted that senior Israeli officials, including the prime minister and foreign minister, had condemned such violence, while Israeli authorities had taken punitive measures against some individuals, including arrests and the confiscation of vehicles.
While defending Israel’s right to build in Area C, Huckabee maintained that acts of violence should be treated separately and addressed by the appropriate authorities.
Explaining his position on the historical dimension of the debate, Huckabee said:
“After all, 80% of the Bible happened in Judea and Samaria. So you can’t divorce the Jewish people from what has been a homeland of theirs for 3,800 years.“
The remarks underscore the competing historical, religious, legal and political arguments surrounding Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, one of the most contentious issues at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.