Republican Party 2012 presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee on Tuesday toured Shomron, visiting areas of Eretz Yisrael viewed as “occupied terror” by the United States government.

Huckabee was interviewed by Israel National Radio, speaking of the emotions that accompany him during trips to the Holy Land.

The former Arkansas governor referred to Israel as a “very very special land, an amazing place to watch it evolve”. He stressed the Israeli people have a right to live where they want to.

“I thought it was telling that we came to the border of Nablus and we could not go in because I was with Jewish people, but Arabs can go anywhere, to areas of Jerusalem… I could not go today and I guess a lot of Americans do not understand there are restricted zones,” Huckabee told the INR.

He stressed that he was angered at reports crediting him with slamming American policy, carefully pointing out he is not in Israel to give instruction to President Obama. “I affirmed America whenever opening my mouth. I have not slammed America as some media reports…I did not come to Israel to protest Obama administration or say anything negative about America.”

The former governor pointed out that the current US administration has taken a different track than the former Bush and even Clinton administrations, and has adopted policy vis-à-vis Israel that differs from President Obama’s campaign statements and statements to AIPAC officials prior to the election.

Huckabee plans to return to Israel soon, at the end of January beginning of February 2010, bringing “a very large group” made up primarily of people who have never visited Israel before.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)