US Ambassador Mike Huckabee receives 'Defender of Israel' award at Independence Day event in Jerusalem

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee delivered an emotional speech on Thursday night during an event marking Israel’s 77th Independence Day held at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, where he was presented with the 2025 “Defender of Israel” Award.

Accompanied by his wife, Janet, Huckabee praised the more than 8,000 volunteers of United Hatzalah for their unwavering commitment to saving lives and supporting communities across Israel, particularly amid the ongoing threat of wildfires.

“Tonight, we all come to celebrate that Israel has a right to exist in safety and freedom,” Huckabee told attendees. “It has a right to its sovereignty. It has a right to claim the indisputable, indivisible capital of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State, now and for eternity.”

The award was presented by Dr. Miriam Adelson and Pastor John Hagee, both prominent advocates for Israel. In honor of Huckabee’s recent appointment, United Hatzalah board member Isy Danon also dedicated a newly donated Ambucycle in his name.

Huckabee used his remarks to highlight the enduring threat posed by Iran, emphasizing the regime’s hostile stance toward Israel.

“Somewhere tonight in Tehran, the supreme leader probably is meeting with the key people around him, and they are discussing what they have been talking about for 46 years, and that’s how to murder everyone in Israel and all the people of Israel,” he said. “We should take them seriously. While they're speaking tonight about death, destruction and darkness, we're sitting here, and we're talking about how to bring life.”

Janet and I were honored to join dear friends at Jerusalem’s Museum of Tolerance to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day and recognize the great work of @UnitedHatzalah, a wonderful organization that embodies the volunteer spirit of the Israeli people. pic.twitter.com/8RPMDS1ntU

— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@USAmbIsrael) May 2, 2025

The event welcomed 400 attendees, including volunteers, donors and dignitaries, and featured a performance by Shai Abramson, the official cantor of the State of Israel.

Referencing United Hatzalah’s mission, Huckabee said, “There can be no hate when you’re trying to save a human life."

He emphasized that United Hatzalah does not discriminate by race or religion: “What matters is that when [people] have a life-threatening emergency, a volunteer is rapidly on his or her way to save their lives.”

United Hatzalah of Israel is the world’s largest fully volunteer emergency medical service, delivering free, rapid-response lifesaving care throughout the country – regardless of race, religion, or nationality – with an average response time of just 90 seconds.