Huckabee’s Israel land remarks condemned as ‘dangerous’ as controversy rumbles on

 

Huckabee’s Israel land remarks condemned as ‘dangerous’ as controversy rumbles on

Recent remarks by Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, have triggered widespread international condemnation from Arab and Muslim nations after he suggested that Israel has a biblical right to a vast portion of the Middle East.

The Remarks

During a Tucker Carlson Show interview aired on Friday, February 20, 2026, the discussion turned to a biblical verse describing land promised to Abraham's descendants, spanning from the "wadi of Egypt" to the Euphrates River in Iraq and Syria.

When Carlson asked if Israel had a right to that entire territory—which Carlson noted is "basically the entire Middle East"—Huckabee replied, “It would be fine if they took it all”.

Huckabee later added that Israel was "not asking to take all of that" and described his comment as "somewhat of a hyperbolic statement".

Key Condemnations

A joint statement from 14 Arab and Islamic nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, alongside the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), denounced the comments as "dangerous and inflammatory".

Saudi Arabia: Labeled the words as "reckless," "irresponsible," and "extremist rhetoric".

Jordan: Described the remarks as "absurd and provocative" and an "assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region".

Egypt: Reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands, calling the remarks a "blatant violation" of international law.

Palestinian Authority: Stated the remarks contradict U.S. President Donald Trump's publicly declared position against the annexation of the West Bank.

Iran: Accused Huckabee of revealing "American active complicity" in "expansionist wars of aggression".

Broader Context

Contradiction of Official Policy: Critics and regional ministries noted that the ambassador's comments appear to clash with the official U.S. State Department and White House positions, which generally support regional stability and have previously rejected West Bank annexation.

Ongoing Tensions: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation warned that such rhetoric emboldens displacement and settlement expansion policies, threatening the security of the entire region.

Internal Support: Despite the backlash, the speaker of the Israeli parliament, Amir Ohana, praised Huckabee's pro-Israel stance while accusing Carlson of "manipulations".