US ambassador Huckabee to attend Netanyahu trial in show of support

United States Ambassador Mike Huckabee announced on July 16 that he would attend part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s court hearing, signaling open support for the Israeli leader amid his ongoing corruption trial.

“I’m going to go by today and sit through a little of it. It should be very interesting to be a witness to it,” Huckabee said at an event in Tel Aviv earlier in the day, Caliber.Az reports via The Times of Israel.

When asked to clarify his presence at the court, Huckabee pointed to the close relationship between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, who last month publicly called for an end to the trial, labelling it a “witch hunt.”

“It’s a matter of representing what the president has said repeatedly,” Huckabee said. “The president has made his position very clear. He has not intervened in the proceedings or in the outcome. He recognizes that has to go its own way. But it’s a personal thing for him. He considers the prime minister a friend.”

Huckabee also referred to the strengthening of ties between the two leaders following Netanyahu’s visit to Washington last week.

“They had an extraordinary bonding, if you will. And there’s such a partnership between the United States and Israel…We have allies, but we only have one partner, Israel. It’s a unique relationship.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently on trial facing three criminal charges: bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The accusations stem from allegations that he received lavish gifts from wealthy benefactors and sought favorable media coverage in exchange for political and regulatory benefits.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the charges are part of a politically motivated campaign by prosecutors and law enforcement aimed at ousting him from office.

The trial, which began in 2020, is unprecedented in Israeli history, marking the first time a sitting prime minister has been criminally prosecuted while in office. 

By Sabina Mammadli