Ambassador Huckabee Shakes the Table on Palestinian Statehood
Ambassador Mike Huckabee isn’t one to minc e words. On June 11, 2025, while speaking to Bloomberg, he dropped a political bombshell: the idea of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? That's not on the table for the U.S. anymore. Instead, he suggested, why not look next door? According to Huckabee, Muslim-majority countries—flush with land—should think about giving up some territory to set up a Palestinian state.
Huckabee’s argument is all about geography and what he calls ‘practicality.’ He pointed out that neighboring Muslim nations have “644 times the amount of land” as Israel. Maybe, he hinted, this space could do for a future Palestinian homeland, rather than carving it out from the West Bank, the site of longstanding tension and occupation. While he used biblical language—'Judea and Samaria' for the West Bank—he didn’t actually specify any target countries. His suggestion was more of a challenge to the current logic of peace negotiations than a fully fleshed-out policy proposal.
Huckabee’s stance isn’t new for him. He’s been a loud voice in favor of Israeli expansion in disputed territories, and he’s always downplayed negotiations that require restricting Israeli settlements as a pathway to a Palestinian state. But this is the first time in his official government role he openly said building a state for Palestinians on West Bank soil is unlikely "in our lifetime” without huge cultural changes. He sees talk of statehood—especially during active warfare in Gaza—as missing the mark entirely.
Policy Fallout and Regional Reaction
The response on the U.S. side? Crickets, basically. The State Department, when pressed, shrugged off Huckabee’s comments and pointed journalists to the White House for “official policy.” There’s no public evidence the Biden administration is adopting his suggestion, and the silence speaks volumes—either they’re taken by surprise, or they’d rather not touch the topic at all as diplomatic talks loom.
Huckabee’s remarks are in lockstep with parts of Israel’s far-right government, who’ve repeatedly floated the idea that Palestine doesn’t have to be in historic Palestine. Even so, many analysts remember that neighboring states—like Egypt and Jordan—have already pushed back hard against similar suggestions. When previous conflicts sent waves of Palestinian refugees toward their borders, Egypt shut its crossings, partly worried about security and also about permanently redrawing the region’s demographics.
All this lands right in the middle of international efforts to restart talks about Palestinian statehood. The UN is about to host another round of meetings, where French and Saudi diplomats are set to talk options—most of which still revolve around some flavor of the two-state solution. Huckabee’s comments, though, underline a shift among some U.S. and Israeli officials, moving even further from compromise and negotiation. Critics worry this could make diplomatic solutions even trickier to reach.
This latest volley from Huckabee doesn’t just shake up diplomatic language—it sets up another headache for negotiators across the region. If neighboring Muslim countries have already rejected taking in refugees or ceding territory, Huckabee’s plan is bound to spark even more tension. Yet, for the moment, the real U.S. policy remains unclear, leaving everyone guessing about America's next move in the Middle East chess game.
