Senator calls on US ambassador to Israel to resign

Sen. Chris Van Hollen called on US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to resign, accusing him of failing to protect American interests and becoming an "apologist" for the Israeli government.

"It's time for our American ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, to resign. The job of an American ambassador is to defend and protect the interests of the United States of America. Ambassador Huckabee has failed to do that," Van Hollen said Monday in a video message on the US social media platform X.

"He's become an apologist for the extremist government in Israel," he added.

Van Hollen criticized Huckabee over remarks in which the ambassador was asked whether he would support Israel taking control of territory included in the concept of "Greater Israel." According to Van Hollen, Huckabee responded that "it would be fine if they took it all."

The senator also accused Huckabee of failing to protect American citizens in the region, citing cases in which Americans have allegedly been mistreated or wrongfully detained.

Van Hollen said he and 30 other senators had previously urged Huckabee to hold the Israeli government accountable for the deaths of more than nine Americans over the past four years.

The senator argued that Huckabee also failed to protect Christians in the Holy Land, despite the ambassador's stated concern for Christian communities.

"By his own standard, he has completely failed in that mission. We've seen an increase in violent settler attacks on Christian villages in the West Bank, and we've seen those attacks conducted with impunity.

"He apparently doesn't care, and he's become a complete apologist for the most extreme Israeli government in history. He should be defending Americans and defending American interests. He's failed to do so. He should resign today," Van Hollen said.