Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel: ‘Hamas isn't interested in ending the war’

James Coomarasamy, presenter of the BBC’s Newshour and The World Tonight, speaks to Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel. Confirmed in the post two months ago, Mr Huckabee is the former Republican Governor of Arkansas and two-time Republican presidential nominee.

He’s an Evangelical Christian, who has backed the presence of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories, which are considered illegal under international law - although Israel rejects this.

Some opposition politicians in the US have been critical of his appointment and previous statements he’s made about the ongoing war in Gaza.

One Democratic senator said Huckabee was "woefully unfit" for the role and accused him of engaging in "brazen denial of the existence of the Palestinian people".

But during questioning by a US Senate committee, Huckabee played down some of his past statements, saying he would "carry out the president's priorities", not his, and denied backing the expulsion of Palestinians.

He takes up the role amid growing international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and pressure for more humanitarian aid to reach the territory. Despite a number of proposals put forward by the international community, there does not yet appear to be a realistic prospect of an end to the conflict. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: James Coomarasamy Producer: Ben Cooper Editor: Nick Holland

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(Image: Mike Huckabee. Credit: John Taggart/Bloomberg/Getty Images)