Trump names Huckabee as 'West Bank annexationist' for Israeli ambassador

Biden-Herzog Israeli Presidential White House Meeting

US State Department "doesn't deteriorate humanitarian situation"

Trump nominated as Israeli ambassador for 'West Bank annexationist'

[Anchor]
U.S. President Biden, who is nearing the end of his term, met with his Israeli counterpart and pledged war aid to the end.

Trump has named a "West Bank annexationist" as Israel's ambassador, heralding a dramatic shift in Middle East policy.

This is Washington correspondent Kwon Jun-ki.

[Reporter]
With two months left in his term, President Biden met with the Israeli president at the White House.

Israeli President Herzog delivered ancient Israeli artifacts as gifts and thanked them for their support.

[Itshak Herzog / President of Israel: You have been an amazing friend of Israel and the Jewish people for decades and will never forget your history with you.]

[Joe Biden / President of the United States] My commitment to Israel is ironclad and we have a deep friendship. Thank you again for coming.]

The U.S. State Department, which a month ago called for an improvement in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, warned of an "end to arms aid" to Israel, said no violations of the law had been found by the Israeli government and that arms aid would continue.

Trump has made it clear that he intends to empower Israel by naming former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as Israel's ambassador.

The father of Sara Huckabee, who served as White House spokesman for the first government, is a Middle East hardliner who insists on Israel's annexation of the West Bank.

[Mike Huckabay / Former Arkansas Governor: There is no West Bank area. There are only Judea and Samaria. [There's no settlement, there's no Palestinian community, so Israeli occupation makes no sense.]

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's voice was more powerful.

[Benyamin Netanyahu / Israeli Prime Minister: One more attack on Israel would cripple the Israeli economy. It's a robbery of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Iranian people.]

Amid speculation that Israel has gained more momentum since Trump's election, Israel's defense minister also mentioned the possibility of hitting Iran's nuclear facilities.

This is YTN Kwon Jun-ki from Washington.