US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Denies Trying to Prevent Elections: "Not the US's Role"

Following a Channel 13 report that US Ambassador Mike Huckabee held talks with senior Haredi politicians to dissuade them from toppling the government over the conscription law crisis, Huckabee responded, denying the claims: "There was no attempt to influence Haredi MKs regarding the decision to dissolve the government."

In light of the possibility of dissolving the Knesset, Huckabee held several talks over recent days with senior Haredi politicians and prominent figures in the Haredi community, emphasizing the importance of government stability and arguing that elections at this time would be a mistake.

Shortly after the report, Yuval SeSony reported that one of Huckabee’s meetings was with Minister Meir Porush last Thursday, where he conveyed a strong message against dissolving the government. In a conversation with a senior Haredi politician over the weekend, Huckabee said: "Government stability is crucial for addressing the Iranian issue," speaking as a representative of the US administration. It remains unclear whether this was a directive from President Donald Trump to prevent elections in Israel or an initiative Huckabee pursued independently.

In a social media post, Huckabee wrote: "I have repeatedly said in private conversations that it is not the role of the United States, nor its ambassador, to choose Israel’s government. My role is to work with the government chosen by the Israeli people."

He added: "When asked about the US response to [elections], I said most Americans don’t understand the parliamentary system and would likely view a collapsed government as unstable, given the ongoing war, daily threats from Houthi missiles, and a potential nuclear threat from Iran. Nonetheless, I firmly stated that it is our responsibility to work with the government Israelis choose."

He concluded: "Israel is a sovereign state with its own procedures for selecting a government. We respect that. Reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate or false."