Huckabee: Biblical Ignorance Fuels Hostility Towards Israel
"If God broke his promise to the Jews, then what makes me, as a Christian, think that he won't break his promise to me?"
A lack of scriptural understanding is behind declining support for Israel among some conservatives, according to Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel.
“When I look at the things on the right, what I see is that there’s biblical ignorance,” he told Fox News Digital recently. “People say, ‘You know, God has no longer got a promise that he’s keeping to the Jewish people,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Well, that’s news to God because he doesn’t break a promise.’ If God broke his promise to the Jews, then what makes me, as a Christian, think that he won’t break his promise to me?”
Recent polling supports Huckabee’s concern, although Republicans remain considerably more supportive of Israel than Democrats or independents. A Gallup poll released in February found that 69 percent of Republicans viewed Israel favorably, a 15-point decline from 2025 and the lowest level in more than two decades. Seventy percent sympathized more with Israelis than Palestinians, down 10 points since 2024 and the lowest level since 2004.
As Metro Voice has previously reported, the decline continues to be especially pronounced among younger Republicans
As Metro Voice has previously reported, the decline continues to be especially pronounced among younger Republicans. A Pew Research Center survey found that 57 percent of Republicans ages 18 to 49 held an unfavorable opinion of Israel, up from 50 percent a year earlier. Overall, 58 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents viewed Israel favorably, compared with 41 percent who viewed it unfavorably.
More recent polling shows that most Republicans still support the current U.S. posture toward Israel, but enthusiasm has weakened. An AP-NORC poll released in July found that 60 percent of Republicans considered U.S. support for Israel “about right.” About 20 percent said the United States was too supportive. The percentage saying the United States was not supportive enough fell from 39 percent in 2024 to 15 percent.
Many of those critical of Israel point to dubious claims Israel has perpetrated genocide against Gaza
Many of those critical of Israel point to dubious claims Israel has perpetrated genocide against Gaza. The claims, however, are unsubstantiated but have spread through a steady social media drumbeat. In January 2024, the United Nations International Court of Justice was considering South Africa’s claim of genocide and emergency measures against Israel. It only evaluated a very narrow set of parameters set up primarily by those known to be anti-Israel. Joan Donoghue, the ICJ president when the decision was issued, later corrected widespread false descriptions of the ruling, saying “it did not decide that the claim of genocide was plausible.”
In reality, the court only found that Palestinians had a general right of protection under the Genocide Convention, not that genocide had occurred. As Metro Voice has reported previously, there has been no court with binding authority that has determined genocide occurred. Yet, the falsehood is easily believed.
In addition to being the former governor of Arkansas, Huckabee is an ordained Baptist minister and served as president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, giving him a perspective shaped by both politics and faith. He also dismissed notions that Christians are not welcomed or allowed to worship freely in Israel. He told Fox News Digital that he plays bass guitar in his church praise band every Sunday and that “nobody throws a chair at me.”
Skepticism and outright hostility toward Israel have become more prevalent in recent years in some corners of both far-left and right-wing media
Skepticism and outright hostility toward Israel have become more prevalent in recent years in some corners of both far-left and right-wing media and among more unconventional podcast stars, such as Joe Rogan, who recently said, without evidence, there was no doubt Israel was guilty of genocide in Gaza.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also has warned about declining support for Israel among young Republicans. Speaking at the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in November, Cruz called the trend “dangerous.”
“I’ve seen more antisemitism rising on the right than I ever have in my life,” Cruz said.
Huckabee’s concerns go beyond theological debates. He argued that some conservatives have misinterpreted the “America First” movement as one of pure isolationism.
“There’s another thing on the right that I’m concerned about,” he said. “People who say, ‘Look, I’m an America First person,’ I say, ‘I am, too.’ I was MAGA before anybody knew what MAGA was. America First has never meant America only.”
U.S. interests do not stop at its borders, particularly when it comes to combating enemy threats
U.S. interests do not stop at its borders, particularly when it comes to combating enemy threats. He pointed to Iran, saying that the regime has spent five decades calling for “death to America.” Huckabee also cited Iranian proxies across the globe and the threats they pose as key reasons why the United States can’t afford to ignore what happens overseas. For Huckabee, the threats emanating from Iran and its proxies reinforce his belief that putting America first does not mean turning inward.
“They’ve never changed their message that they want to murder us,” he said. “So, when people tell you for 47 years their goal is to kill you, you’re pretty stupid if you don’t pay attention to that and even more stupid if you do nothing about it.”
#Israel #MikeHuckabee #StandWithIsrael #AmericaFirst #USIsrael
–Dwight Widaman
