US envoy urges Israel to protect West Bank Palestinians

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya, where he met with families of victims of extremist settler violence. According to the Jerusalem Post, Huckabee stated that there is no plan by the Israelis to displace people out of Gaza against their will. He added that if people wish to leave, they should have the right to leave, but nobody is suggesting forced displacement.

The visit comes amid increased settler attacks in the area. The town's mayor, Nawwaf Zaghoul, had described the constant attacks by violent extremists, saying residents are unable to stop them from entering the town and damaging their homes. Huckabee said that residents deserve security and safety in their communities.

According to France 24, Huckabee stated that it is in the Israeli government's interests to take action against violent settlers. The ambassador's comments follow proposals by two Israeli ministers for the mass removal of Palestinians from Gaza, which Huckabee categorically denied were part of any Israeli plan.

Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Times, Jerusalem Post, France 24, Free Malaysia Today, Al-Monitor — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.