U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee delivered a speech in the City of David, Jerusalem, during an official ceremony. In his remarks, the diplomat linked religious elements with the historical and political legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state.
“It was 4,000 years ago here on Mount Moriah that God chose his people. He didn't just choose a people; he chose a place and a purpose. The people were the Jews, the place was Israel, and the purpose was to be a light to the world,” Huckabee told Israeli officials and international representatives.
The ambassador emphasized that, despite the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish people's exile, the connection to the city remained alive. He recalled the words of Psalm 137: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget me," as a symbol of the historical persistence of that relationship.
In the final part of his speech, Huckabee stated: “This is truly the eternal home of the Jewish people, of the Jewish state, and of the people who rightfully belong here. And tonight the rest of the world comes to say: Welcome home, may no one ever try to take your home away from you. It's yours.”
He also addressed a message to non-Jews: “We thank you for giving us all a foundation of morality, decency, and civilization upon which our own faith is built. Without yours, we don't have one.” He concluded by asserting that his Christian faith cannot be understood without his Jewish heritage and declared: “God has never finished with Israel and never will. This is the eternal home he has chosen.”