In a largely partisan decision, the U.S. Senate has confirmed former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as the Trump administration’s new ambassador to Israel.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, known for his strong backing of Israel and his rare status as one of the few Democrats aligned with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, broke ranks with his party to support Huckabee, joining Republicans in the vote.
The Senate approved Huckabee’s nomination with a 53 to 46 vote. Huckabee, a devout evangelical, has long been a vocal advocate for Israel and its settlement expansion.
Though he holds firm right-wing positions on Israel — including favoring the annexation of the West Bank — Huckabee emphasized during his confirmation hearing that his role would be to represent and implement the Trump administration’s policies, not to promote his own views.
Huckabee mentioned last month that he plans to be in Israel by Pesach.
{Matzav.com}