Huckabee Threatens Visa Retaliation Over Israel’s Screening of Christian Organizations in Scathing Letter

Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, has sent a sharply worded letter to Interior Minister Rabbi Moshe Arbel, voicing outrage over Israel’s refusal to grant group visas to numerous Christian organizations. As revealed Thursday evening on Israel’s main news broadcast, Huckabee warned that the U.S. may respond by restricting visas for Israeli citizens.

This letter, one of the most strongly worded communications ever from a U.S. ambassador to an Israeli official,was also sent to top Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Yitzchak Herzog, Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.

Huckabee argued that despite the warm ties between Israel and the U.S., Israel’s stance toward Christian organizations has become increasingly “hostile,” particularly during the Trump administration. His frustration comes amid Israel’s long-standing policy of limiting missionary activity, which includes denying entry visas to foreign missionaries.

He accused Israel’s Interior Ministry of launching independent investigations into evangelical groups, forcing them to complete questionnaires on their faith, operations, and assets in Israel. According to Huckabee, none of these organizations were granted new visas for religious staff due to this scrutiny.

“It is unbelievable that the situation is deteriorating instead of improving. The United States and Christian and evangelical organizations are your friends. We feel that we are being treated as adversaries,” Huckabee wrote. “As the U.S. ambassador representing President Donald J. Trump, I am formally requesting that the deteriorating relationship with the Department of the Interior be resolved—so that the issue does not escalate further.”

The ambassador went on to issue a stern warning: “It would be very unfortunate if our embassy were forced to publicly announce throughout the United States that the State of Israel does not welcome Christian organizations and their representatives, and instead engages in harassment and negative treatment of them. We are also obligated to warn Christians in America that their generous donations are being met with hostility, and that tourists should reconsider their travels.”

He concluded the letter with a threat of reciprocal measures: “Unfortunately, if the Israeli government continues to cause bureaucratic harassment, I will have no choice but to instruct our consular department to explore the possibility of reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens applying for visas to the United States. This is certainly not the relationship that the State of Israel wants to have with its best partner and friend on Earth.”

Huckabee’s letter followed a personal appearance at the Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday, where he showed support for Prime Minister Netanyahu during his trial, holding a Bugs Bunny doll. At a local government conference earlier that day, Huckabee remarked on the difficulties Netanyahu faces: “It’s very difficult to do the job the people elected you to do when you’re tied up in legal matters that distract you from your job. President Trump understands that it’s difficult when, in the middle of such a tense term, you spend so much time in a courtroom, and before judges who are not fair.”