U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned recent attacks on a Christian village and its historic church in the West Bank, describing them as “a crime against humanity and God.”
Huckabee visited Taybeh, a Christian Palestinian town, on Saturday. Among the incidents, a fire was set near the ruins of the Church of St. George, which church leaders called one of the most severe acts to date.
During his visit, Huckabee, a longtime Evangelical supporter of Israel, called the desecration of religious sites “an act of terror” and insisted such acts should “carry harsh consequences.”
Later that day, he posted on X, saying he had met with residents “to listen and learn,” and emphasized that “any attack on a house of worship, whether a church, mosque or synagogue, was a crime not only against people but against God.”
In a formal statement from the U.S. Embassy, Huckabee declared, “To commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship, it is an act of terror, and it is a crime. There should be consequences, and it should be harsh consequences because it is one of the last bastions of our civilization, the places where we worship.”
He emphasized that such violence “is against the Holy” and insisted that “those responsible” “be found and be prosecuted,” not simply reprimanded. Addressing the predominantly Christian residents of the village, Huckabee said they deserved “respect” and the right to “live their lives in peace.”
Huckabee stated he represents “all American citizens” living in Israel, including Christians, Muslims, and Jews, and added that he would hold accountable “those responsible” when anyone is “terrorized or victimized of crime.”
Last week, allegations emerged that settlers beat to death two Palestinians near Sinjil, including Saif Musallet, a Palestinian-American. Israeli officials have not issued a public statement regarding the killings, nor has the government condemned the attacks in Taybeh.
Separately, the U.S. government has expressed concern to Israel over delays in issuing visas to Evangelical Christian tourists. Huckabee recently warned that if those visas are not granted, he might publicly question whether Christian groups are still welcome in Israel.
