‘Fake News’ – US ambassador denies reports that Trump poised to recognize Palestinan state

Huckabee pushes back on reports that Trump is poised to announce US recognition of Palestinian statehood during his trip to Saudi Arabia and claims of a feud between the two leaders.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

The American ambassador to Israel rejected recent reports that President Donald Trump is poised to announce U.S. recognition of Palestinian statehood during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia.

Trump has teased a major diplomatic event during his trip to the Middle East, set to begin on Tuesday and end this Friday.

A Saudi diplomatic source was quoted last week by the Qatari-owned Al Araby Al Jadeed as saying that “Trump will issue a declaration that America will recognize the State of Palestine and that there will be the establishment of a Palestinian state without Hamas.”

The report came amid claims circulated in multiple Israeli media outlets of a major falling out between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including reports that Israel was caught off guard and frustrated by the administration’s decision to halt its air campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

In addition, recent reports have claimed Trump has sidelined Israel in talks with the Saudis for a comprehensive agreement between Riyadh and Washington, dropping Saudi recognition of Israel as a condition for American backing of a Saudi civilian nuclear program.

Over the weekend, however, Ambassador Mike Huckabee conducted a media blitz in Israel pushing back on the claims of a worsening split between the Netanyahu government and the Trump administration. He also rejected reports of impending American recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling the claims “nonsense.”

“Hmm,” Huckabee tweeted Saturday. Jerusalem Post needs better sources than this unidentified ‘source.'”

“My 4 yr old grandson Teddy is more reliable. And take it from Teddy. This report is nonsense. Israel doesn’t have a better friend than POTUS!”

Huckabee also decried as “fake news” a rift between Israel and the Trump administration, including claims that the president has already reached a deal with Riyadh to recognize a Saudi nuclear program without a broader agreement including normalization of ties with Israel.

“Because I follow @HilzFuld I will jump in ease some minds,” Huckabee tweeted, referring to Zionist influencer Hillel Fuld.

“All the nonsense about POTUS & Israeli PM is from ‘sources’ who don’t put their name on it. I will put mine. The partnership is STRONG. What’s broken is credibility of fake news.

“It’s reckless & irresponsible for press to allege that POTUS and Israeli PM are not getting along. Bibi has spent more time with Donald Trump than I have in past 3 months & I’m his ambassador! The relationship between US & Israel remains STRONG!”

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, Huckabee downplayed the significance of Trump’s decision not to visit Israel during his upcoming trip to the Middle East.

“What he’s doing is not because he’s snubbing Israel,” Huckabee said.

“There are 200 nations in the world, almost, so there are a lot of them he hasn’t gone to yet, a lot of them he isn’t going to right away — he’s spent more time with the prime minister of Israel than he has any other world leader. I think that says a lot.

“I would just say to people, ‘Relax, calm down, Donald Trump loves you, there’s no doubt about that, he’s got your back.

“He is the same Donald Trump that, for four years as president, did more for Israel than any other American president.”

Benjamin NetanyahuDonald TrumpMike HuckabeeTrump administration