U.S. Ambassador to Israel Sparks Regional Outrage Over Middle East Comments

Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, has drawn sharp criticism from Arab and Muslim nations after stating Israel has rights to much of the Middle East. His remarks, made during a Friday interview, prompted condemnation from Egypt, Jordan, and regional organizations who called the comments extremist and provocative.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Regional tensions escalated Saturday as Arab and Muslim countries strongly criticized remarks made by Mike Huckabee, the United States ambassador to Israel, regarding Israeli territorial claims across much of the Middle East.

During a Friday broadcast interview with conservative host Tucker Carlson, Huckabee addressed biblical references to land promised to Abraham’s descendants, which Carlson described as encompassing virtually the entire Middle East region. When questioned about Israel’s entitlement to this territory, Huckabee stated: “It would be fine if they took it all.” The ambassador qualified his statement by noting that Israel isn’t seeking territorial expansion and deserves security within its current legitimate boundaries.

The controversial statements immediately drew fierce opposition from Egypt, Jordan, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the League of Arab States, all issuing separate condemnations describing the remarks as radical, inflammatory, and inconsistent with official U.S. policy.

Egyptian foreign ministry officials characterized Huckabee’s position as a “blatant violation” of international law, emphasizing that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands.”

The League of Arab States declared: “Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions.”

Neither Israeli nor American officials provided immediate responses to the growing diplomatic backlash.

Israel’s borders have remained undefined since the nation’s founding in 1948, with boundaries changing through military conflicts, territorial annexations, ceasefire agreements, and peace treaties with neighboring countries.

The 1967 Six-Day War marked a significant territorial shift when Israeli forces seized the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem from Jordan, captured Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and took control of Syria’s Golan Heights. Israel later returned the Sinai Peninsula through peace negotiations with Egypt after the 1973 conflict and voluntarily left Gaza in 2005.

Recent months have seen Israel intensify its control over the occupied West Bank through expanded Jewish settlement construction, legitimizing unauthorized outposts, and implementing major administrative policy changes. President Donald Trump has publicly stated his opposition to Israeli annexation of the West Bank, providing strong guarantees to prevent such actions.

For generations, Palestinians have advocated for an independent nation encompassing the West Bank and Gaza, with eastern Jerusalem serving as their capital — a position supported by most of the international community.

Huckabee has consistently rejected the concept of a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. During a previous interview, he expressed disagreement with using the term “Palestinians” to describe Arab descendants of those who lived in British-administered Palestine.

In the recent discussion, Carlson questioned Huckabee about biblical passages from Genesis, where he claimed God promised Abraham and his offspring territory stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates.

“That would be the Levant, so that would be Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon. It would also be big parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” Carlson explained.

Huckabee responded: “Not sure we’d go that far. I mean, it would be a big piece of land.”

Israel has expanded its territorial presence since beginning its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

The current ceasefire agreement requires Israeli forces to pull back to a designated buffer zone, though they maintain control over more than half of Gaza’s territory. While the ceasefire mandates further Israeli withdrawal, no specific timeline has been established.

Following the late 2024 overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli military forces took control of a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria established under a 1974 ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials described the occupation as temporary and necessary for border security.

Additionally, Israel continues to occupy five strategic hilltop positions within Lebanese territory following its brief 2024 conflict with Hezbollah.