Israeli Ambassador Mike Huckabee dismissed the notion of a “respite” between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding humanitarian aid in Gaza.
“That’s as realistic as me claiming responsibility for the Lindbergh baby’s invitation,” Huckabee remarked during an interview on Fox News’ “American Newsroom” on Tuesday.
“Let me emphasize, there will be no break between the Israeli Prime Minister and the President. Their relationship is stronger than ever, and so is the bond between the U.S. and Israel.”
Huckabee criticized how the media has covered the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, mentioning that some images of sick Palestinian children shared recently were actually taken years ago, depicting conditions like cerebral palsy, which are unrelated to starvation.
“There’s no rift between them. The real disconnection lies with the media. They push an anti-Israel narrative, but it’s misleading,” he added.
While Huckabee acknowledged the situation in Gaza is “confusing,” he argued that it isn’t as tragic as often portrayed on TV. He also took issue with the worldwide condemnation over starvation in Gaza, suggesting that Hamas could easily alleviate the crisis by agreeing to end hostilities.
“Yes, there’s suffering. It’s as dire as some Europeans claim, but it could improve significantly. If Hamas realizes they face no future, we could see an end soon,” he stated.
Trump commented on Monday that Netanyahu’s assertion there is no starvation in Gaza “isn’t particularly true,” but he refrained from fully criticizing Israel’s part in limiting aid to Palestinians.
“Based on what we see on TV, it’s clear those kids seem hungry, so they’re likely not doing well,” Trump said when questioned about Netanyahu’s statements.
He also noted that the United States intends to take a more active role in addressing food needs in the region.
