Contrary to US policy, ambassador Huckabee says West Bank's Area C 'is Israel'

US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, contradicted decades of official American policy by claiming that Area C of the occupied West Bank is part of Israel. During an interview, Huckabee also stated he would be "fine" if Israel took over a large swath of the Middle East, including Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, drawing sharp rebukes from Arab partners. The statement regarding Area C is a significant departure from the Oslo Accords, which designated the area for Israeli military control pending a final peace agreement. An expert noted this reflects a shift from Israel's 'de facto' to 'de jure' control over the territory, which makes a contiguous Palestinian state virtually impossible.