Former Arkansas governor sworn in as Israel ambassador

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was sworn in as the United States’ new ambassador during a ceremony at the state Capitol Wednesday afternoon.

By: Antoinette Grajeda
Arkansas Advocate

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was sworn in as the United States’ new ambassador during a ceremony at the state Capitol Wednesday afternoon. The U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination to the post by a vote of 53-46 earlier in the day.

Huckabee told guests and family members, including his daughter, current Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, that he couldn’t think of a better place for the ceremony than the Arkansas Capitol.

Judge Lavenksi Smith, a fellow Hope native who serves on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, swore in Huckabee, who took his oath with his hand placed on a Bible that he acquired during his first visit to Israel and gifted to his wife, Janet.

“It’s pretty special, the fact that it has survived these now 52 years is amazing in itself, and I want to say how grateful I am to be able to share this moment with Janet who’s carried not only a Bible all these years, but carried a faithful, consistent willingness to go anywhere and do anything that God ever called us to do,” Huckabee said. “And of all the tests we’ve been given, this may be one of the biggest.”

President Donald Trump nominated Huckabee for the role in November. The native Arkansan has no foreign policy experience, but has visited Israel several times.

An evangelical Christian, Huckabee is a long-time supporter of Israel and has opposed a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. During a Senate committee hearing last month, Huckabee told members he wasn’t there to defend his personal views and repeatedly said that if confirmed, he would enforce Trump’s policies.

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