Washington
CNN
 — 

President-elect Donald Trump introduced Tuesday that he has nominated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to function United States ambassador to Israel.

“Mike has been an excellent public servant, Governor, and Chief in Religion for a few years. He loves Israel, and the individuals of Israel, and likewise, the individuals of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to result in Peace within the Center East!” Trump mentioned in a press release.

Huckabee’s daughter and present Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders previously served as Trump’s press secretary throughout his first administration.

Huckabee has been a powerful defender of Israel all through the course of his profession – together with what he says is the nation’s claims to the West Financial institution.

His choice will come as a welcome fruits of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lengthy mission to shore up ties to American Evangelical Christians.

Huckabee has spent ample time in Israel, and lead a tour within the nation for the corporate Senior Grownup Journey Inc. as not too long ago as Might 2024, in response to the corporate’s web site.

He’s been a supporter of Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution, together with laying a cornerstone for a brand new neighborhood in one of many largest Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution, simply east of Jerusalem, in 2017.

He instructed CNN’s Oren Lieberman on the time that he rejected the usage of the phrase “settlements.”

“I believe Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria,” mentioned Huckabee, utilizing the Biblical phrases for the West Financial institution. “There are specific phrases I refuse to make use of. There isn’t any such factor as a West Financial institution. It’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such factor as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such factor as an occupation.”