US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Monday there was “not a chance” that the historic relationship between the United States and Israel would break apart, describing the alliance as too deeply rooted for either country to abandon.
Speaking at a special Israeli-American Council (IAC) America 250 celebration in Tel Aviv hosted by American-Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison, Huckabee said the partnership between Washington and Jerusalem was built on shared values, history, and strategic interests.
“When I hear people say, ‘Is it possible America and Israel will split apart and no longer enjoy this extraordinary partnership?’ I say, ‘No, you’ve got to understand, we are not that stupid. I hope we’re never going to be that stupid,’” Huckabee said.
“It’s like an incredible marriage between Israel and the United States,” he continued. “When people asked me are we going to break up, I say, ‘Not a chance,’ because neither country can afford the alimony if we ever broke up. That’s why we will be partners for as long as there is.”
The event was held as part of IAC’s America 250 programming, marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. Among those in attendance were businesswoman and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson; Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist Yakir Gabay, a member of the Gaza Board of Peace; IAC CEO Elan S. Carr; and other dignitaries.
US-Israel relationship rooted in Judeo-Christian values, bible led to US founding
Huckabee said the US-Israel relationship was grounded in Judeo-Christian values and argued that the Jewish people and the Hebrew Bible played a formative role in America’s founding.
“As I celebrate America, I celebrate the heritage that as an American I have thanks to the Jewish foundation upon which the United States was born and which it has thrived,” Huckabee said.
“If the United States ever forgets its heritage and forgets the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we will not be the great nation we have become, and we will fall.”
Carr, who previously served as US special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, said the IAC event in Israel was intended to celebrate “250 years of American philosemitism.”
“The US-Israel relationship has been forged through mutual interests and common threats, but more importantly, it is born out of a deeply shared spiritual DNA that weaves the destiny of these two great powers together,” Carr said. “Happy Birthday, America!”
IAC working to strengthen ties between America and Israel
Arison said she hosted the event to strengthen ties between the United States and Israel.
“As an American Israeli, I was happy to host the IAC to strengthen the ties between the United States and Israel,” she said. “Our role, as Jews around the globe, is to bring light to the world, and that light can only be brought through peace and unity.”
Before the event, the IAC held a gathering of philanthropists in partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation. Participants from Israel and the United States discussed ways to strengthen the relationship between the countries and deepen ties between Israeli society and the American Jewish community.
The IAC is a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening Israeli-American and Jewish-American identity and advocating for the US-Israel relationship.
Since October 7, the organization said it has expanded its work combating antisemitism in schools and on college campuses.