The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has lashed out at France’s advocacy for recognition of a Palestinian state, saying that if it supported such an outcome, it could “carve out a piece of the French Riviera” and create one, AFP reports.

In an interview with Fox News published on Saturday, Huckabee called the initiative at the UN “incredibly inappropriate when Israel is in the midst of a war”.

“October 7 changed a lot of things,” he said, referring to the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

“If France is really so determined to see a Palestinian state, I’ve got a suggestion for them — carve out a piece of the French Riviera and create a Palestinian state. They are welcome to do that, but they are not welcome to impose that kind of pressure on a sovereign nation.”