The US ambassador to Israel has said the Israeli government has a responsibility to protect Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. His comments came as settler attacks against Palestinians have increased sharply.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee made the remarks on Saturday while meeting Palestinian-Americans in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya.
Huckabee calls for safety in West Bank
Huckabee said Palestinians living in West Bank communities have the right to feel safe and secure.
“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,” he told reporters.
He added that the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure that those communities receive that protection.
Huckabee also called for strong action against those responsible for violence. He said crimes and acts of terror should have serious consequences, regardless of who commits them.
“Our clear message is that crime is crime, terror is terror,” Huckabee said.
He made the comments during his visit to Turmus Ayya, a town with a significant population of Palestinian-Americans.
US envoy addresses Gaza displacement concerns
During the visit, Huckabee was also asked about proposals from Israeli ministers concerning the future of Gaza.
Some Israeli ministers have publicly discussed plans that would involve Palestinians leaving the war-battered territory. Gaza is home to around two million people.
Huckabee rejected the suggestion that Israel has a plan to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza.
“I can tell you categorically there is no plan of the Israelis to displace people out of Gaza against their will,” he said.
His statement comes amid continuing international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the future of its Palestinian population.
Settler violence remains a concern
The ambassador’s visit came as Palestinian-Americans described attacks allegedly carried out by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Huckabee said those responsible should expect serious consequences for violent acts.
However, he stopped short of directly criticising the Israeli government over the reported attacks.
His comments reflect the US position that security must be provided to communities while those responsible for violence should face accountability.
The West Bank has remained a major source of tension, with Palestinians and Israeli settlers living in many areas close to each other.
Huckabee’s remarks are likely to draw further attention as Washington faces pressure over its approach to Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank and the continuing conflict in Gaza.
