Political Messages: The American Ambassador Participates in Saturday Prayers Inside Efrat Settlement

SadaNews Translation: The municipality of the "Efrat" settlement in the occupied West Bank announced that the American ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, visited the settlement on Friday.

The Jerusalem Post reported: "Huckabee returned to the settlement for a social visit after a previous announcement of his intention to buy a home there, and participated in Saturday prayers at the Shirat David synagogue."

The head of the Efrat settlement council, Dovi Shevler, stated during the visit: "The American ambassador Mike Huckabee's visit to Efrat strengthens settlement in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and clarifies the importance of Efrat as a central hub in the settlements."

He added: "This is a historic opportunity to apply full Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, thereby solidifying our national and international status. Efrat is a point of attraction for Jews from Israel and abroad, and the ambassador's visit is additional evidence of the importance and resilience of this settlement."

Huckabee had previously laid the foundation stone for a new settlement neighborhood in Efrat and joked about purchasing a house there, according to the newspaper.

Huckabee confirmed that the United States would allow Israel to make its own decisions regarding the West Bank, in a recent interview with the Jerusalem Post.

Huckabee stated as translated by Sada News: "This is not the president's style. He may express his personal opinions, but he has not been known to say, 'This should be annexed or that.' Simply, he hasn't. I believe he respects that Israel is a sovereign state."

Several Israeli officials told the newspaper that the possibility of applying sovereignty "over certain areas" is being seriously considered, but Netanyahu has not yet made a final decision on the matter.

In recent weeks, senior American officials have informed their Israeli counterparts that "the decision on sovereignty is in Israel's hands," according to two sources familiar with the discussions. The two sources added that although this message was not a complete green light for any action, it was also not a red light. One official said: "The Americans are telling Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials: Decide first what you want, then talk to us."

Axios reported that the American ambassador to Israel used the term "Judea and Samaria" which the Netanyahu government refers to the West Bank.

Huckabee was quoted saying: "European plans are pushing more Israelis to talk about annexing parts of Judea and Samaria."