Mike Huckabee calls for “severe consequences” following settler attacks on American Palestinians in the West Bank

The United States ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called on Saturday for “severe consequences” for those responsible for violence in the occupied West Bank, during a visit to Turmus Ayya, a town where American citizens live and where Palestinians have been targeted in settler attacks.

“A crime is a crime, an act of terrorism is an act of terrorism,” Huckabee said, stressing that those responsible must be held accountable for their actions. The ambassador nevertheless declined to directly criticize Israel.

Huckabee said the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of Palestinians in the West Bank, amid an intensification of settler attacks. He said residents of the affected communities have the right to live safely and that authorities must take measures to protect them.

The American official also denied the existence of an Israeli plan to expel the population from the Gaza Strip. The statement came after several Israeli ministers publicly advocated moving the territory’s approximately two million residents abroad. Huckabee said there is no plan for the forced evacuation of Gaza’s population.прompting should translate slug? User specified exact structure with slug. Need fill placeholder likely based title. slug lower English. Ensure valid JSON no weird. Let's produce.