Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said he does not regret his that in forging a nuclear deal with Iran, President Barack Obama is “marching Israelis to the door of the oven.”

In a speech Tuesday in the West Bank settlement of Shiloh, the site of what is believed to be the first capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, Huckabee also voiced his support for Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, where the Palestinian population outnumbers the Jewish one.

“The connection between the Bible and Israel is important,” Huckabee said, according to The Jerusalem Post. “I see the West Bank as an integral part of Israel,” and if elected president, “I will support the strengthening of Jewish settlements.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“If you’re going to visit Israel, you should visit all of Israel, and that would include Judea and Samaria,” he added, using the biblical names for the West Bank.

Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, has visited West Bank settlements before, according to Haaretz.

Believed to be the site of the biblical tabernacle, Shiloh is home to a museum showcasing archaeological findings from the site.

Asked about his “oven” comment, Huckabee said, “It was the Iranians who invoked the imagery and very word holocaust, they have said that they have developed missiles that will deliver Israel to the Holocaust. Those are their words, Israeli officials regularly remind the people of Israel and the people of the world that the Iranians’ intent is to wipe Israel off the map.”

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount