US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has issued a stern warning to Israeli authorities, threatening to publicly declare that Israel no longer welcomes Christian groups following what he describes as Jerusalem’s systematic blocking of tourist visas for evangelical missions.
The unprecedented threat was delivered in a scathing letter sent Wednesday to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, which was leaked to Hebrew media on Thursday. Arbel’s response letter was obtained by The Times of Israel. The diplomatic correspondence reveals a shocking deterioration in relations between the staunchly pro-Israel ambassador and the Israeli government he has long supported.
In his letter, Huckabee expressed “great distress” and “profound disappointment” over Israel’s handling of visa applications for Christian organizations. According to Ynet, the ambassador accused the Interior Ministry of launching investigations into several evangelical Christian organizations with longstanding ties to Israel, including the Baptist Conference in Israel and the Christian Missionary Alliance.
“Unfortunately, if the Israeli government continues to cause bureaucratic harassment, I will have no choice but to instruct our consular department to explore the possibility of reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens applying for visas to the United States,” Huckabee wrote. “This is certainly not the relationship that the State of Israel wants to have with its best partner and friend on Earth.”
The threat of reciprocal measures against Israeli tourists seeking US visas represents a dramatic escalation in diplomatic tensions, particularly given Huckabee’s reputation as one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in American politics. Parts of Huckabee’s letter were shown on Channel 12’s broadcast.
The dispute strikes at the heart of Huckabee’s personal mission work. As an evangelical pastor, he has led countless Christian tours to Israel over the past half-century, making the ability of Christian groups to visit the Holy Land a deeply personal cause. His extensive experience organizing such trips has given him unique insight into the bureaucratic challenges facing Christian organizations seeking to enter Israel.
The current crisis stems from a meeting between Huckabee and Arbel on May 27, where they discussed mounting problems encountered by Christian Zionists seeking to visit Israel. Nearly two months later, Huckabee’s letter suggests that meeting failed to produce the resolution he had hoped for.
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, a member of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, pushed back strongly against Huckabee’s allegations. In his response letter, obtained by The Times of Israel, Arbel expressed being “particularly surprised” by the ambassador’s approach.
“Every request that was personally brought to the attention of my office has been addressed within an exceptionally short time frame,” Arbel insisted. He characterized Huckabee’s approach as deviating “from accepted working norms” and not reflecting “the direct and constructive relationship we have established.”
Despite the tension, Arbel acknowledged the value of US-Israel relations, calling the partnership “among the most valued and significant.” He emphasized his appreciation for Huckabee’s “consistent support for Israel” while calling for coordination, mutual trust, and respect in resolving the dispute.
The visa dispute emerges against a backdrop of increasing violence in Judea and Samaria. Earlier this week, Huckabee made his first public statement addressing settler violence, calling for Israeli authorities to “aggressively investigate the murder” of Palestinian-American Saif Musalat.
The 20-year-old Florida resident was reportedly beaten to death during a violent altercation near the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. Musalat’s relatives claim he was severely beaten, denied medical aid, and died before reaching a hospital while visiting family in the region.
“There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act. Saif was just 20 years old,” Huckabee wrote on social media, marking a rare moment when the prominent settlement movement supporter publicly addressed violence involving Israeli civilians and Palestinians.
Recent violence has escalated on both sides. Witnesses reported seeing Arabs attacking Israeli residents of Binyamin, pelting them with stones and using slingshots. Palestinian sources later claimed two Arabs died during the riot, with Hamas declaring them “martyrs.”
Jewish settlement leaders acknowledged that one of the deceased was allegedly killed by live fire, urging the IDF to investigate and support soldiers who acted against “violent rioters.”
The dispute represents a significant test of US-Israel relations under the current administration. Huckabee’s threats of reciprocal visa measures could potentially affect thousands of Israeli citizens who travel to the United States annually for business, tourism, and family visits.
The ambassador’s strong stance also highlights the complex dynamics within Israeli society, where ultra-Orthodox parties like Shas hold significant influence over interior ministry policies that affect religious tourism and missionary activities.
As investigations continue into both the visa processing delays and the recent violence in Judea and Samaria, the diplomatic crisis threatens to strain relations between two nations that have historically maintained exceptionally close ties, particularly on issues of religious freedom and access to holy sites.
