U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s remarks that Israel has a right to much of the Middle East sparked condemnation Sunday from 15 Arab and Muslim countries, which called his comments “dangerous and inflammatory.”
Huckabee said in a Friday interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that “It would be fine if they took it all,” in response to Carlson’s reference to biblical passages suggesting descendants of Abraham would receive land including parts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The U.S. Embassy said Sunday that Huckabee’s comments were taken out of context and that there is no change to U.S. policies on Israel.
Huckabee’s remarks disrupted diplomatic messaging at a tense moment in the Middle East, where the United States has positioned military assets near Iran while Arab nations watch closely for signs of U.S. policy direction on Palestinian statehood and territorial disputes in the region.
Huckabee’s Interview and Arab Response
In the interview with Carlson, Huckabee was asked whether, according to biblical interpretation, Israel had a right to the historical territories of Canaan—land that today includes parts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. Carlson cited Genesis Chapter 15 in posing the question.
Huckabee said it would be fine if Israel took all of that land. But he added clarification: “They’re not asking to go back and take all of that, but they are asking to at least take the land that they now occupy, they now live in, they now own legitimately, and it is a safe haven for them.”
Arab and Muslim nations responded with a joint statement condemning the remarks. The countries said Huckabee’s comments endanger regional stability and contradict Trump’s stated vision “based on containing escalation and creating a political horizon for a comprehensive settlement that ensures the Palestinian people have their own independent state.”
Background and Ambassador’s Track Record
An evangelical Christian, Huckabee has long been a vocal supporter of Israel and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He has consistently opposed a two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state, a position that has defined his Middle East commentary for decades.
The interview was conducted by Tucker Carlson, a conservative commentator who has been critical of U.S. support for Israel in the Gaza war. Carlson has also faced criticism for promoting white-supremacist and far-right views, including the “great replacement” conspiracy theory.
Regional Tensions Over Iran
Huckabee’s remarks arrive amid escalating tensions in the Middle East over the possibility of Iranian military action against Israel. Iran has previously stated it will attack both Israel and U.S. military bases in the region if the United States strikes Iranian targets.
Trump warned Friday that limited strikes against Iran remain possible. Iran’s top diplomat meanwhile said Tehran expects to have a proposed nuclear deal ready within days following talks with the United States.
The U.S. has moved significant military assets into position to support potential action. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is stationed near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, bolstering U.S. capacity to launch strikes if Trump decides to do so. These movements, however, do not guarantee such strikes will occur.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned last week that if Iran attacks Israel, the country will face “a response that they cannot even imagine.”
The current tensions echo recent history. Israel struck Iranian military targets last year during indirect U.S.-Iran talks, igniting a 12-day war. The United States intervened in that conflict by bombing Iranian nuclear sites.