Probably won’t happen "in our lifetime", says US ambassador on Palestinian state

The United States no longer gives its full-throated endorsement to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, according to Washington's ambassador to 'Israel', Mike Huckabee.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, the Trump appointee suggested that a Palestinian state, if it were to be formed, might need to be located outside of the traditional territory and that its creation is unlikely within our lifetime.

"I don't think so," Huckabee stated when asked if a Palestinian state remains a goal of US policy. "Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it." He added that such changes would probably not occur "in our lifetime."

Huckabee, 69, went further, questioning the long-held assumption that a future Palestinian state would be situated in the West Bank, home to approximately 3 million Palestinians under Israeli Occupation.

"Does it have to be in Judea and Samaria?" he queried, using the biblical terminology favored by the 'Israeli' government. He proposed that land for a Palestinian state could potentially be carved out of a Muslim-majority nation rather than requiring 'Israel' to cede territory.

These remarks come at a sensitive time, as European and Arab nations are actively working to advance a two-state solution as a means to resolve the protracted 20-month 'Israeli' genocide on Gaza.

A conference scheduled for next week in New York, sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, is set to focus on the establishment of a Palestinian state with the Palestinian Authority (PA) at its helm to lead a multinational effort to oust Hamas from and reconstruct the Gaza Strip.

When questioned about a path to concluding the ongoing war in Gaza, Ambassador Huckabee laid the responsibility squarely on Hamas.

He asserted that the war would only end when the group releases all remaining captives.