BREAKING: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Says Gulf Countries Will Have To Choose Between Israel And Iran

Please Kindly Pay Attention: If you’re reading on PHOENIX, please click the “Read Original” button at the top right to view the full article.

According to a report by The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has said he remains “very optimistic” that more countries in the Middle East will soon normalise relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords framework, despite ongoing regional tensions fueled by Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran.

Speaking during a public address in Israel, Huckabee suggested that shifting security dynamics in the region could push Gulf states toward closer alignment with Israel and the United States in the near future.

His remarks come at a time when several Arab and Muslim-majority countries continue to express strong opposition to Israel’s military campaigns, particularly the ongoing war in Gaza and recent escalations involving Iran. These conflicts have heightened regional sensitivities and complicated diplomatic efforts to expand normalisation agreements.

Huckabee argued that countries in the Gulf are increasingly reassessing their security priorities in light of rising regional tensions. According to him, many governments are being forced to weigh perceived threats from Iran against their historical stance toward Israel.

“The Gulf states now understand they will have to make a choice is it more likely they will be attacked by Iran or Israel?” he said. “They see that Israel helped us and Iran attacked us. Israel is not trying to take over your land and is not sending missiles to you.”

The US envoy also reiterated Washington’s commitment to its strategic partnership with Israel, suggesting that American support for Israel remains a central pillar of its Middle East policy. He further characterised Israel as playing a frontline role in regional security dynamics, while portraying Iran as the primary source of instability.

In a separate comment that has drawn attention, Huckabee described Israel as a “prelude” to broader US involvement in confronting Iran’s leadership, stating that Washington has historically taken a leading role in countering Tehran’s influence in the region.

“The Gulf states now see the reality of the situation more clearly,” he added, expressing confidence that shared security concerns could eventually outweigh political divisions and lead to renewed diplomatic breakthroughs.

The Abraham Accords, first signed in 2020, normalised relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The agreements were widely viewed as a significant shift in regional diplomacy, although further expansion has stalled amid escalating violence in the Middle East.