With large American forces massed across the Middle East and US-Iran tensions at a boil, the Knesset convened an Israel-US Parliamentary Caucus on Wednesday. The gathering was initiated by the Ruderman Family Foundation, chaired by Members of Knesset Ohad Tal, Boaz Bismuth, Michal Shir, and Moshe Tur-Paz, and attended by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and senior officials.
The session – which also marked 250 years since the founding of the United States – focused on the US-Israel alliance, particularly the cooperation surrounding October 7 and the operations against Iran as a mutual adversary: Operation Rising Lion and Operation Midnight Hammer.
Huckabee opened his remarks with a dig at Tucker Carlson – the right-wing political activist known for his criticism of US-Israel ties – referencing the three-hour-long interview he had given him. "I wanted to bring Tucker Carlson – he would not leave the airport. I think he still thinks he's being harassed... I don't know what it was. Maybe they didn't give him the snacks he wanted in the lounge," he said of the anti-Israel figure, who had claimed he and his team were harassed upon landing in Israel.
"One of my jobs is to obviously represent the US government to the State of Israel, but the other part of my job is to represent the value of the partnership back to the US and its people," the ambassador said, adding, "There are hundreds of good-paying jobs in the United States that are the direct result of the money [invested in Israel], that people like Tucker Carlson will never understand, is a very smart investment."
The ambassador's interview with Carlson made waves both in Israel and the US. According to Politico, the Trump administration has had to engage in diplomatic damage control after Huckabee suggested that Israel has a right to sovereignty over extensive parts of the Middle East.
In her speech, Member of Knesset Sharren Haskel also addressed Carlson's interview, during which he suggested conducting DNA tests to verify the origins of Israeli citizens. "About 5 years ago, I decided to test my bloodline – the result was 90% Israel."
Beyond the economic aspect, Huckabee added, "There are many countries around the globe with which we have alliances. There is only one nation with which we have a genuine bond, a partnership unlike any other," he emphasized, adding the US-Israel relationship is "more necessary than it's ever been."
The ambassador emphasized Iran as a mutual enemy: "Americans often don't think about it because… to them, Iran is just a faraway place. The people who lead the government issue chants like 'death to America.' They may not understand it, but they've been bringing death to America for 47 years, having killed thousands of Americans."
Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of deceased hostage Omer Neutra, shared: "Omer chose to become a combat officer out of a sense of duty," they said, "and on October 7, he was among the first to race toward the fence in an attempt to stop the terrorist infiltration. For us, Omer was a living bridge between Israel and the United States, and as was said at his funeral – 'a hero of two nations.'"
"The campaign to bring Omer home taught us that the battle for Israel and for the hostages is also fought in Washington, and that American public opinion is a strategic arena," they continued. "As the war dragged on, we saw cracks in support – especially among young Americans – and that is something that cannot be ignored."
Shira Ruderman, CEO of the Ruderman Family Foundation, addressed a worrying trend among young Americans. "About 45% of Gen Z support Hamas," she said – a figure she called deeply alarming. "The future of the relationship between our countries cannot depend solely on individuals or shifting political dynamics," she continued. "Both sides have an enormous influence on how our shared future will look, and that requires a sustained and conscious investment in shaping it." She emphasized the critical role of American Jews, emphasizing to "remain confident in their Jewish identity, to express it openly, and to take pride in their connection to Israel."
