U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated that Iran is demanding Israel cease its border defense against Hezbollah, and that a peace plan with Gaza hinges on Hamas disarmament. He proposed that members of Hezbollah and Hamas be deported to a "mother ship" in Iran, saying the result would be a Lebanon and Israel free from Iran's terror proxies. Huckabee urged giving peace a chance.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made a sweeping statement Wednesday morning laying out his vision for resolving the conflict with Iran's proxies. Huckabee said Iran is conditioning any diplomatic progress on Israel halting what he called its "border defense" against Hezbollah — a framing that aligns with previous reports of Iranian terms for a U.S.-Iran understanding. He tied progress on a Gaza peace plan to the disarmament of Hamas.
Huckabee's most striking proposal was the deportation of all Hezbollah and Hamas members to a "mother ship" in Iran, effectively removing the proxy forces from Lebanon and Gaza. "The result? Lebanon and Israel free from Iran's terror proxies," he said. "Give peace a chance."
The statement comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity around a reported U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday, Lebanon's Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab described the emerging deal as mandating an immediate cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, with multi-phased Hezbollah weapons handovers. Huckabee's remarks appear to go further, proposing population transfer rather than just disarmament.
Huckabee's statement was not immediately corroborated by official State Department channels or Israeli government sources, and its status as a formal policy proposal or personal opinion remains unclear.
2 developments
- StrongUS Ambassador Huckabee: Rubio clarified Iran and Hezbollah not tied to deal
- DevelopingU.S. Ambassador Huckabee Shares Pro-Israel op-ed urging Israeli self-reliance amid Iran deal
- DevelopingHezbollah reportedly demands Iran flight rights, visa removal from Beirut government
- DevelopingIsraeli security establishment presses for fast-tracked US-mediated Lebanon talks
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