Masked Youths Torch Palestinian Christian Village
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has slammed violent attacks by masked Israeli youths on the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh as outright “terrorism.” Calling the perpetrators “terrorist thugs,” the staunch Israel supporter demanded they face severe punishment.
Appointed by Donald Trump in January 2025, Huckabee stressed on a November 19 NewsNation interview: “Crime is crime, terrorism is terrorism, it doesn’t matter who does it.” His comments followed a wave of settler-linked violence across the West Bank, including arson and property damage in Taybeh — the West Bank’s only entirely Christian town, home to 1,500 Greek Orthodox and Catholic residents.
Huckabee visited Taybeh on November 18 to meet local leaders, calling the attacks “an absolute travesty” and promising: “We will insist that those who carry out acts of terror be found and prosecuted.”
Settler Violence Surges Amid Rising Tensions
On November 17, masked “angry and disaffected” youths (mostly teenagers, not local settlers) set fire to Palestinian homes, vehicles, and farmland in Taybeh and nearby Turmus Ayya. Security footage revealed arson near the ancient 5th-century Church of St. George cemetery, while crops and grazing cattle suffered under military protection. Though no one was killed, the damage to olive groves and property was extensive.
“Most of these people are not actual settlers,” Huckabee noted. “This is a very small number, mostly youth. They come here to create havoc.” Israeli officials, including PM Benjamin Netanyahu, condemned the violence. Netanyahu vowed on November 17: “We will take very forceful action against the riots.”
IDF Chief Eyal Zamir called the attacks a serious “red line,” lamenting that the violence distracts forces from key security operations. This spike follows the horrific October 7, 2023 Hamas attack killing 1,200 Israelis, with settler attacks in the West Bank soaring 500% since then.
Legal Crackdown and Diplomatic Firestorm
After Huckabee’s condemnation, Israeli police launched investigations treating the attacks under “terrorism” statutes — a rare legal escalation for settler violence usually charged under lesser offenses. Some arrests have been made, but no charges filed as of November 21.
Meanwhile, airstrikes on Gaza intensified, hitting civilian areas and killing dozens, including children. Hamas denied firing on Israeli forces, disputing Israel’s strike justifications. Since the October 11 ceasefire, over 300 Palestinians have died, many civilians, adding to more than 69,000 deaths since October 2023.
Huckabee’s tough stance drew praise from Palestinian Christians but raised eyebrows over a secret July 2025 meeting with Jonathan Pollard, the convicted spy jailed for leaking US secrets to Israel for 30 years. The embassy failed to notify CIA officials until after the fact, stirring controversy.
The White House claimed ignorance but backed Huckabee. Pollard called the meeting “personal” to thank the ambassador for support during his incarceration. Critics say hosting a convicted spy breaks diplomatic norms.
Huckabee’s Hawkish Support for Israel Sparks Debate
As tensions escalate between Israel and Palestine, Huckabee walks a fine line, condemning settler violence yet maintaining his pro-Israel evangelical stance that supports settlements. His willingness to engage Pollard signals a shift from usual US diplomatic protocols, amid thorny disputes over Gaza aid and regional stability.
Investigations in Taybeh continue, with the ambassador vowing equal justice. On social media, Huckabee declared: “Equal justice for all—terror is terror,” gaining thousands of likes.
