Mike Huckabee blamed what he described as "biblical illiteracy" for a decline in American support for Israel, framing the shift in public sentiment as rooted in a lack of religious and historical knowledge.
The comments coincide with a Pew Research Center poll released in April that found 60 percent of US adults express an unfavourable view of Israel. The finding signals a notable level of public scepticism toward the country among the US population.
Huckabee’s diagnosis links cultural and educational concerns to foreign policy attitudes, suggesting that how Americans understand religious texts and history can shape their views on contemporary international issues. He presented this interpretation as an explanation for the poll’s results.
The exchange highlights how debates over public opinion on Israel are being cast not only in political terms but also in cultural and educational frameworks. Such interpretations are likely to influence how commentators and some politicians discuss messaging and outreach on the issue going forward.