The two settlers entered the eastern part of the town in an ATV, coming within about 100 meters of the site where Huckabee was meeting local officials, municipal council member Awad Abu Samra told Wafa.

The incident occurred during Huckabee’s visit to Turmus Aya, where he met with local officials and Palestinian Americans over continuing attacks by Israeli settlers.

Huckabee called on Israel to “guarantee the safety and security” of residents of the occupied West Bank.

Meanwhile, Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador, described Huckabee’s visit as “largely symbolic”.

“It’s symbolism, because his visit, as much as it is covered by the media, is not going to change American policy,” Pinkas told Al Jazeera.

Pinkas said Huckabee’s description of some settlers carrying out violence as terrorists sent a “clear message”, particularly because Huckabee is an evangelical Christian who “believes in the Jewish rights over the West Bank”.

However, Pinkas said the Trump administration “doesn’t seem to care enough” about settler pogroms or Palestinian rights to “actually pressure the Israeli government”.