According to a report by The Associated Press on September 5th, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee once again publicly condemned the violent actions carried out by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank area, calling them ‘terrorist acts’. On that day, he visited Tulkarm Aya village, which is frequently attacked by settlers, and met with local Palestinian-American residents.
Hekabi said in his speech that occupying someone else’s land without permission, burning cars or mosques, and breaking into homes to cause damage and spray graffiti are "criminal acts." "But these are not just criminal acts; they are terrorist acts," he said, referring again to the relevant settlers as "terrorists."
According to The Associated Press, American officials commonly use the term “terrorists” to refer to Palestinian armed individuals. The United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs previously stated that attacks by settlers in the West Bank have increased significantly since October 7, 2023.
On September 5, 2026, local time, in the village of Turmus Aya on the West Bank, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke to media while visiting the home of a Palestinian-American resident. Visual China
Public information shows that Hakkabi is a public Christian “Zionist,” and is also known as a “firm defender of Israel.” However, this is not the first time Hakkabi has used this term.
Last month, after several weeks of turmoil in Kusra town on the West Bank, Hakebi wrote on the social media platform X on August 13: "Those who carried out this horrifying terrorist attack, with the intent of intimidating and harassing this family, their actions are repugnant."
However, previously British Foreign Secretary Miliband described the situation in Gaza as ‘appalling’, but Hakkai openly accused the British government of being ‘anti-Semitic’.
Hekka also stated that although the U.S. Embassy in Israel has no authority to investigate criminal activities, it can point out to the Israeli government that “there are some issues that need to be addressed, and some problems cannot be ignored.” The specific “criminal acts” and “terrorist actions” must cease, and Israel must carry out investigations and make decisions accordingly.
According to the Associated Press, Israel occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in 1967. Since then, nearly 150 settlements have been built on the West Bank. Currently, over 500,000 Jewish settlers live there. Most members of the international community consider these settlements to be illegal settlements.
Israeli troops are operating across various areas on the West Bank, but human rights organizations accuse the Israeli army of turning a blind eye to violent actions by settlers. Just a week ago, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also condemned the actions of so-called "a handful of violent individuals," and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the behavior of settlers is "shameful."
