Severe Consequences

The US ambassador to Israel said Saturday that the Israeli government bore responsibility for West Bank Palestinians' safety and should impose "severe consequences" over violence, as he visited families after a surge in settler attacks. Mike Huckabee, long known as a staunch supporter of Israel and settlers, visited a Palestinian-American's home in the West Bank that has been repeatedly targeted.

"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, and that the government has a responsibility to make sure that that happens," Huckabee said. He stopped short of criticising Israel by name but said: "Our clear message is that crime is crime, terror is terror. When people do it they should have an expectation that they will have severe consequences."

Turmus Ayya

Huckabee spent about two hours meeting Palestinian-Americans inside the home of Samir Hazmeh in the town of Turmus Ayya, where around 80 percent of the 4,000 residents hold US citizenship. The house had its windows smashed twice by settlers, who have also tried to open the gates and burn it down.

"The United States already has the ability to put pressure on Israel to at least arrest those settlers who are known to the authorities," said Yasser Alqam, who met the ambassador, voicing shock that President Trump lifted sanctions on settler extremists imposed by predecessor Joe Biden.