Washington last night sought to reassure regional countries after statements by the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, which were deemed to be "a personal opinion only." Meanwhile, the US Embassy announced for the first time that it will provide consular services in settlements in the West Bank. Australia, in turn, announced it is considering banning an Israeli journalist from entering the country due to inflammatory statements made at the start of the war on Gaza. According to Politico, senior Trump administration officials have been in contact with several Arab countries in recent days in an attempt to calm their anger. This followed a claim by the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, that Israel has a religious right to control large parts of the Middle East. Huckabee's interview sparked controversy.
