Evangelical Christian and former talk show host Mike Huckabee has been confirmed as the new US ambassador to Israel. The former Arkansas governor has long been a fervent supporter of Israel. He strongly backs Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories,

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday backed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel, installing a staunch pro-Israel conservative in the high-profile post amid war in Gaza and relations complicated by U.

Mr. Huckabee’s nomination drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers and some faith groups, who said his past statements on Palestinian identity were “highly incendiary.”