Donald Trump has identified his picks for key positions likely to shape his administration’s role in the Middle East over the next four years. Trump announced that he would nominate former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to the post of US ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, who has been a strong defender of Israel throughout his career, made the statement during his 2008 presidential campaign, asserting that Palestinian identity was “a political tool to try and force land away from Israel.” Huckabee is vocal about his evangelical Christian faith, which he ties to his policies towards Israel. For instance, he has cited the Bible on several occasions to argue that the Israeli-occupied West Bank is part of Israeli territory.
