JERUSALEM -- U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sought Wednesday to blame a recent breakdown in Gaza ceasefire talks on the decision by some European leaders to recognize Palestinian statehood.

The decisions were announced by France, Britain and other countries after the Trump administration's Mideast envoy had already walked away in frustration from the negotiations, which happened privately. It's unclear how and when they began to break down.

But Huckabee's remarks in an interview with The Associated Press point to a sharp divide among Western nations about how to approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the rift has only deepened since President Donald Trump took office.

Many European countries have sought to pressure Israel and frame the pursuit of a two-state solution as

See Full Page