‘Thou shalt not steal nor covet’: Huckabee cites Bible to condemn violent settler activists in Judea & Samaria

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee doubled down on his harsh condemnation of the actions of radical Jewish settler activists in the Palestinian village of Qusra in recent weeks, while emphasizing that they represent a small minority of the broader settler movement.

Speaking to Reuters, Huckabee cited the Bible’s commandments against stealing and coveting another’s property, and warned that those engaged in violence could become subject to U.S. sanctions.

The former Arkansas governor has been a vocal proponent of the broader settlement movement for decades, pointedly continuing to use the term “Judea and Samaria” rather than “West Bank.” However, he has repeatedly slammed violent and unlawful behavior by violent settler groups, last referring to the group “besieging” several homes in Qusra as “terrorists.”

On Thursday, Huckabee, a Baptist minister, was asked what message the Trump administration had for settlers seeking to seize Palestinian-owned homes or land.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has warned militant Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank not to steal property owned by Palestinian Americans, describing such behavior as 'a violation of God's law' https://t.co/DNpmD2098E pic.twitter.com/4peA1ZtMpT

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 20, 2026

“I think the message is bigger than just even the Trump administration. It’s a message of basic civility and civilized behavior,” Huckabee began. “You don’t take something that doesn’t belong to you.”

“Let’s go to the Ten Commandments – ‘Thou shalt not steal’, so, you shouldn’t even covet.”

Responding to complaints that the U.S. embassy, led by a known friend of Israel, has not been responding to calls for support by Palestinian-Americans, Huckabee noted that “we have personnel that have gone into the area of Qusra, and continually monitor what is happening.”

One of the besieged homes is owned by Luai Abu Ridi, a dual citizen living in Ohio, and was occupied by his family members. He arrived at his home in Qusra on Monday after telling several news outlets that he had been following events via security cameras from Ohio.

The U.S. administration was reportedly angered by Israel’s handling of the incident and has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn the activists’ actions, so far without success.

Huckabee continued, “We’re appalled at some of the things that have happened to families, who are the victims of just criminal activity that is inexcusable and repugnant. And I think if we’re going to be true to faith, true to heritage, then you recognize that if you don’t own something, you don’t take it and you don’t desire it.”

“If someone owns the land and they own their house, then having someone come and take it over and scare the family away from it, that’s a violation, not just of man’s law. That’s a violation of God’s law,” the ambassador stressed.

According to claims made by the Palestinian families, the Jewish activists were trying to besiege the homes, cutting off access and utilities in an effort to force the residents to leave and take over the properties. Settler activists, however, have argued that the homes are part of a Palestinian Authority (PA) plan to take control of a strategically important mountain. They have also claimed that some of the local residents have been involved in violent attacks against Jewish settlers in the area.

Huckabee took care to distinguish between the small groups of radical, overwhelmingly young activists, who often live in outposts that are illegal under Israeli law, and the majority of Israelis living peacefully in legal towns across Judea and Samaria.

“There are half a million Israelis who live in Judea and Samaria. The best estimates of the number of people who engage in these criminal acts are somewhere between three to five hundred total. So that’s a tiny number of the amount of people. I don’t call them settlers. They’re unsettlers,” said Huckabee.

He stressed that they could find themselves subject to sanctions like entry bans to the United States, though he noted that he wasn’t aware that any such measures were under consideration.

On Thursday, Palestinian media reported that a 70-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl were wounded overnight by shrapnel from IDF gunfire in Qusra.

However, the IDF later told The Times of Israel that its troops, which are still stationed in the area to prevent a return of the activists, said the two “were not wounded by gunfire or shrapnel, and according to the report received by the IDF, they were apparently evacuated after suffering from anxiety.”

The incident reportedly began when “during a patrol by IDF troops in the village, they encountered several Palestinians who hurled stones at them. The troops responded by firing into the air only, in order to drive away the stone-throwers.”