US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, together with former Gaza hostage Yarden Bibas, dedicated an olive tree honoring the murdered Bibas family—Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir—during a ceremony held on Thursday in Moshav HaYogev, a northern Israeli community.
Huckabee told Yarden and Ofri, “The sacrifice your family made for Israel’s people is clearly not forgotten.” The dedication was organized by the My Tree in Israel initiative, under which figures such as former President Donald Trump and numerous others have trees planted in their names.
He added, “The plaque on the tree serves as a reminder that life continues. Each year the olives will yield fine olive oil that you can share, honoring Shiri and your two sons.”
Yarden Bibas, his wife Shiri, and their sons Ariel (four) and Kfir (nine months) were taken hostage in the October 7 Hamas‑led attacks on southern Israel; only Yarden survived.
The ceremony also included a tree dedication for Ambassador Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and his own tree’s plaque was updated to reflect his current role as ambassador, replacing the earlier “Governor Mike Huckabee” label.
At the event, Avi Harush, father of the late Sgt. Reef Harush—who was killed in combat in southern Gaza in April 2024—presented Huckabee and his wife, Janet, with a memorial tree.
Harush, then 20, died in battle alongside three older comrades in the Oz Brigade while undergoing commando training.
Huckabee commended Harush’s son, noting that the sacrifice was made not only for Israel but also for American citizens.
Huckabee: Fallen IDF Soldiers Also Defending Americans
He explained, “Anything that occurs in Israel will affect Americans, given the large number of us residing there. When a soldier falls in battle, they are fighting for Israel and also protecting the roughly 700,000 U.S. citizens living there.”
Harush thanked the ambassador, saying that the tree dedication likely brings happiness to his son Reef.
After the ceremony, My Tree in Israel CEO Kobi Assaf escorted the ambassador on a tour of the region’s largest olive press facility.
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