Trump picks former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel, Trump announced Tuesday.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his proposed nomination comes as Trump has vowed to align US foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Mike has been a great public servant, governor and leader of faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel and the people of Israel, and in the same way the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!”

Huckabee has led paid tour groups in Israel for years and has often advertised the tours on conservative-leaning news outlets.

David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel during his first term, said he was “thrilled” by Trump’s choice of Huckabee.