US ambassador to Israel calls for 'severe consequences' to stop West Bank violence

The US ambassador to Israel has called for "severe consequences" to stop violence in the occupied West Bank, as he met with Palestinians who have suffered from Israeli settler violence.

Mike Huckabee visited the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya, which has been the target of repeated settler attacks, and spoke ‌with families of US citizens killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers.

"Our clear message is that crime is crime, terror is terror. When people do it, they should have an expectation that they will have severe consequences," Huckabee told reporters, but he declined to criticise Israel.

"The Israeli government must guarantee the safety and security of the population in the West Bank," he said.

He said that he had visited the West Bank town, which has a large US-Palestinian population, "to understand the situation on the ground".