US Ambassador Urges Israel to Protect West Bank Palestinians From Settler Violence

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Turmus Ayya, a Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Saturday.

He met with Palestinian Americans, including relatives of US citizens killed by Israeli settlers. Huckabee stated that the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of Palestinians in the West Bank. He described attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians as acts of terror and called on Israel to investigate and prosecute those responsible, urging severe consequences for perpetrators.

Huckabee also said he believes violent settlers represent a minority of the settler community, which numbers around 750,000. During his visit, Huckabee addressed proposals by Israeli ministers for Palestinians to leave Gaza. He stated there is no plan of the Israelis to displace people out of Gaza against their will. Huckabee clarified that the administration of President Donald Trump supports Palestinians having the option to leave Gaza if they choose, but rejects forced displacement.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had proposed a plan for 250,000 Palestinians to leave Gaza in the first year, followed by the rest of the population over six years. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was prepared to facilitate the departure of Palestinians by sea and land, claiming 80% of Gaza's residents wanted to leave.

Settler violence in the West Bank has risen sharply since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government took office in late 2022. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Israeli settler violence displaced more than 2,500 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2026 alone. Since 2023, over 6,400 Palestinians in 130 communities have been displaced due to settler violence and related access restrictions. OCHA noted that half of the 2,500 displaced this year are children.