Did UK play a ‘key role’? Steve Witkoff says ‘yes’. Mike Huckabee ‘no’
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash
One of the ugliest sights in the world is to watch a seemingly meaningless fight.
The big beast pummels the little guy, repeatedly slamming a rolled-up fist into their throat. Then the big beast gets called off by an even bigger creature.
The display of power can be upsetting for observers. Unless you’re a secret sadist, it is upsetting to see another’s discomfort and to be helpless to prevent it. It’s kinda hard to watch the little guy get hurt and then the predatory big beast getting creamed by the bigger un.
That was somewhat how it felt when Donald Trump’s ambassador in Israel slapped down a minister in Keir Starmer’s cabinet, only to be corrected by Mr Trump’s great friend.
US ambassador Mike Huckabee wrote on X that UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson was “delusional” because she said the UK had played a “key role” in shaping the Gaza ceasefire agreement. His public contempt for a member of His Majesty’s government was palpable. It was caustic and unnecessarily cruel. Mr Huckabee even went on to add acerbically: “She can thank @realDonaldTrump anytime just to set the record straight”.
Then, came Mr Trump’s envoy-at-large Steve Witkoff’s comment on X, thanking the UK for its role “in assisting and coordinating efforts that have led us to this historic day in Israel”. Mr Witkoff singled out UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell for his “incredible input and tireless efforts”.
The bigger beast had called off the other.
Make no mistake, Steve Witkoff is a bigger beast in Trump-verse than Mike Huckabee. Mr Witkoff is the US president’s envoy for everything; Mr Huckabee is merely envoy to Israel. I may have missed it but I didn’t hear Mr Trump sing hosannas about Mr Huckabee’s likeability and character as he did for Mr Witkoff in his speech in the Israeli parliament on October 13.
So, what should we believe? Did the UK play a “role” in bringing events in the Middle East to this pass? Steve Witkoff says ‘yes’. Mike Huckabee ‘no’
Even so, one has to wonder why America’s ambassador in Israel expressed himself with such bile. Isn’t his side winning everything? Mr Huckabee, a devoted Christian Zionist, has guided Christian pilgrimages to Israel since the 1980s and supports Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. On religious principle, he believes the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people and he has denied any Palestinian rights.
Right now, the Palestinian people are bloodied and brutalised, they aren’t being afforded much agency and it’s not clear how, when or if that might happen.
Surely Mr Huckabee should be smiling rather than snapping at a minister of the Crown?
