During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) grilled Trump's nominee to be Ambassador to Israel, former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) about his positions on West Bank settlements and the removal of Palestinians from Gaza.
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00and
00:01Welcome everybody. I want to associate myself with the remarks of Senator Shaheen her opening remarks
00:08Governor Huckabee, it was good to get together with you yesterday. I only get five minutes in this forum
00:13So if you could keep your answer short, I'm just gonna ask your views on certain principles
00:17And it is absolutely true that the Jewish state needs a friend
00:21I think you also recognize that there are many in the Jewish community here in the United States
00:26Who disagree with the views that you've expressed with respect to certain issues in Israel, and I do want to ask you about
00:34Some of those because you are seen as a big hero of the Jewish settler movement on the West Bank
00:40You supported the idea of Israeli annexation of the West Bank as you've confirmed here today
00:47So I want to know where you draw the line
00:50I recognize that you will be the president's emissary, but you've made a lot of comments on this
00:54So I'm interested in in your thoughts
00:57Do you agree with me that it would be wrong for a Jewish settler to push a Palestinian family?
01:05Off-land on the West Bank that was owned by that Palestinian family. You agree with that
01:10Senator thanks for the question. I think there are a lot of things attributed to me that aren't necessarily
01:15100% accurate. I'm sure you would if you've experienced that a time or two and yeah in your career
01:20That's why I'm trying to clarify. I'm asking some very simple questions. I hope
01:24simple answer I
01:26Believe that there has to be always the law being followed and there has to be clarity
01:32I also believe that it won't be my policy that will be implemented in the Middle East
01:37It will be that of the press. Oh, this was a very simple question. Yes, sir
01:41So we have a Palestinian family on the West Bank today
01:44They own the land there on my question to you is do you agree that it'll be wrong?
01:49For a Jewish settler to push that family off their land
01:53Yes, or no if we're talking about stealing the land taking it away from them their land
01:57Yeah, that's a problem if you're talking about purchasing the land. That's a legitimate transaction that okay
02:03so when you said in
02:052017 and I quote Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria unquote
02:11You did not mean that gave Israel the right to kick Palestinians off their lands in the West Bank. Am I right about that senator?
02:17I've never never indicated that that was a part of that
02:20I simply referenced the biblical mandate that goes all the way back to the time of Abraham
02:263,500 years ago and that's what I was referencing
02:29No, I understand I understand you have that that view but I'm trying to understand the consequences of that view
02:36So in your view if Israel were to annex the West Bank
02:41What rights would Palestinians have because when I asked you that question yesterday you focused on the right to work economic?
02:50Opportunity so my question today is
02:52Would those Palestinian individuals in an annexed?
02:56West Bank have the same legal and
03:01democratic rights as
03:03Israeli Jews living in the West Bank annexation does not mean
03:07Displacement of people. No, I'm not asking about displacement right now. I'm asking if they remained there
03:14Would they have equal rights?
03:16To Israeli Jews living on the West Bank there would be security there would be opportunity
03:22I'm that's not what I'm asking. Okay, or you know that no, I'm so I'm asking whether they would understand
03:28well legal rights whether they were the same legal rights as a
03:32Israeli Jew who settled on the West Bank living side-by-side would they have the same legal and political rights?
03:41Senator if you mean would they be able to
03:46Live freely
03:48They already do how about how about voting?
03:52You're you're suggesting that West the West Bank become part of Israel
03:56Are you suggesting that Palestinians living in the West Bank should have the right then to vote in elections in Israel?
04:03Senator let me correct and say I'm not suggesting
04:06Let me let me because I carry out policies. I do want to ask you about the situation in in Gaza
04:13because I think you would agree that
04:16It would be wrong to hold any innocent
04:20Palestinian civilian
04:23Accountable for the evils of Hamas, right? I mean, that's just a simple principle. You don't believe in collective punishment. Do you?
04:31Senator I don't believe in collective punishment if the Palestinians in Gaza have
04:36Participated in the holding of hostages and in the torture, right? Right. So they've got yeah
04:40There are two million people right there and Senator Merkley asked you earlier about withholding
04:47Food because for 23 days there has been a ban on humanitarian assistance into Gaza
04:55finance minister Smotrich
04:57Suggested and I'm quoting it might be justified in moral to starve two million Palestinians in Gaza as
05:04Part of a strategy to free the hostages simple question
05:07Do you disagree with finance minister Smotrich?
05:12Senator as you know an ambassador doesn't get to argue with the people of the country
05:17He goes to represent the United States in right
05:20But my job is to represent the president and his policies and he has not given those to me because I've not been confirmed
05:27I understand you are aware. Are you not governor that when he was asked whether the Palestinians who would leave?
05:33Gaza under president's plan could return. He said no that doesn't sound like a voluntary program. Does it?
05:41When I've heard the president say is he does not push for
05:45Force displacement. I've also heard him say he wants a better life for the Palestinian people. He wants them to have security
05:52He doesn't want their children to be put in front of the munitions of Hamas as they have nobody does governor
05:58But that's not the question
06:00We did have a good we did have a I thought an important conversation yesterday about the situation of some of the churches
06:08in Jerusalem and Israel who are feeling a lot of
06:12financial pressure because of actions being taken by
06:14Municipalities in Israel as well as a concern they have about a bill in the Knesset. You remember that?
06:21Yes, sir, and Senator you agree that we should work together on that issue, right? Yes, sir. Thank you
06:26Thank you