US Ambassador to Israel Huckabee Shares Thanksgiving Greetings With The Media Line
As Americans head into Thanksgiving weekend, the holiday’s meaning still resonates far beyond the tables where families gathered yesterday. What began nearly four centuries ago as an expression of gratitude shared by early settlers seeking refuge and the Indigenous communities who helped them endure has grown into a defining American tradition—one rooted in reflection, humility, and the search for freedom.
This year, that spirit carries special weight overseas. Earlier this week, The Media Line spoke to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee during a Day of Prayer at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, where he reflected on the deeper purpose of the holiday. “Thanksgiving, what a great American holiday. Even though it’s truly American, I think it’s something that people around the globe can at least participate in from a distance,” the ambassador said. “For me, as an American, it’s a reminder that our country was founded by people who came to the shores of the US to find spiritual refuge, to find a place where they could worship freely. And their Thanksgiving was not just Thanksgiving for food; it was Thanksgiving to God. If we ever forget that Thanksgiving is a spiritual holiday, we’re going to miss the holiday altogether.”
That sense of gratitude echoes throughout the Middle East, where ancient harvest rituals, prayers of thanks, and shared themes across the Abrahamic faiths mirror the values at the heart of the American holiday.
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Carrying that spirit into the day itself, the ambassador and his wife, Janet, spent part of Thanksgiving in Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, joining American soldiers at a US military facility for a holiday meal. “They are far from home but they had a true American feast! God bless our troops!” he posted afterward. The US Embassy in Jerusalem added its own note of appreciation on X, giving thanks for friends, families, and “the unbreakable US-Israel bond that strengthens both our nations … and the universal agreement that pumpkin pie is always a good idea.”
Those troops are stationed at the Civil-Military Coordination Center, established by the US military as part of an international effort focused on stability, reconstruction, and civilian support around Gaza—work that reflects a different dimension of service on a weekend dedicated to giving thanks.
For The Media Line, Thanksgiving weekend is also a moment to reflect on our mission: to provide clear, fact-driven reporting that helps readers understand a region where history, faith, and politics intertwine. Your trust in our journalism, especially during uncertain times, remains our greatest responsibility.
We wish you and your loved ones a meaningful and peaceful Thanksgiving weekend.
