NAZARETH, Israel – More than two hours from Jerusalem, in an olive grove southwest of Nazareth, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, accompanied by his wife, Janet, visited the olive tree he adopted six years ago.
The ambassador believes the trees here represent something much more than olive oil. The tree adoption took place through My Tree in Israel, a program that allows supporters of Israel to adopt an olive tree while helping Israeli farmers and Israeli soldiers.
“I thought it was one of the coolest ideas that we would be able to adopt a tree in Israel because we love Israel,” Huckabee said.
“We want to be able to support the farmers and the soldiers, and by becoming part of My Tree, we were able to do both,” he added.
Huckabee first adopted the tree while serving as Arkansas governor. On this day, the tree was placed into his current title of U.S. ambassador to Israel. Huckabee’s tree stands across from one that President Donald Trump adopted. During the visit, the Huckabees also adopted a tree for their daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Under the program, Israeli farmers care for and harvest the adopted trees before sending bottled kosher olive oil to their adopters.
“It’s incredibly good, solid quality olive oil and it has our family’s name on the label,” Huckabee said. “It’s a wonderful, wonderful gift, and every time we give it to someone, they are so grateful, and they think it’s the neatest gift.”
Part of the proceeds from each adoption supports Lone Soldiers, a program that assists IDF soldiers throughout their service.
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Huckabee also met with Avi Harush, whose son, an Israeli commando, was killed in 2024.
“I want Americans to recognize the price Israel pays for their freedom and their security,” Huckabee said. “It’s an incredibly high price.”
A tree was planted in memory of Harush’s son during the ceremony.
Huckabee also reflected on the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, saying that if an attack of similar scale had occurred in the United States, it would have been the equivalent of 40,000 Americans being murdered and 10,000 taken hostage.
The visit included a stop at an olive tree adopted by a Florida woman in memory of the Bibas family. Yarden Bibas, his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7. Yarden was eventually released, but his wife and children were murdered in captivity.
“I think in many ways, the Bibas family became somewhat the face of the hostages because it was one of the most tragic stories,” Huckabee said. “The father was taken hostage along with his wife and two children. He survived. But after hundreds of days as a hostage, when he gets out, he finds out that his wife and his two small boys have been murdered by Hamas.”
Yishai Gelb of My Tree in Israel told Bibas, “It was important that you guys get the olive oil and know there is a tree growing in their names.”
Huckabee thanked Bibas for his sacrifice and assured him that he had not been forgotten.
“You’ve been prayed for a lot,” Huckabee told Bibas. “Not just in Israel but all over America.”
“So to be able to know that there is an olive tree that is producing ongoing fruit and providing life in the future, it’s really a beautiful tribute to the Bibas family,” Huckabee said.
For Huckabee, the olive grove is more than a collection of trees. It is a symbol of solidarity between two nations and a reminder that even in the midst of tragedy, life continues to grow.
