The Arab League and several Arab nations have strongly condemned remarks made by Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, in which he suggested that Israel could extend its control across the entire Middle East, including the occupied West Bank. The statements, made during a podcast interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson, were described by Arab leaders as “absurd, provocative, and contrary to international law.”
Huckabee claimed that Israel has a biblical right to the land between the Nile and Euphrates rivers, stating, “It would be fine if they took it all.” The comments were met with immediate backlash from Arab governments, which emphasized that such positions violate diplomatic norms and threaten regional stability.
Jordan called the remarks “a violation of diplomatic norms” and an infringement on state sovereignty, highlighting that they contradicted the official U.S. position rejecting annexation of the West Bank. Jordan urged all parties to focus on implementing President Donald Trump’s peace plan and UN Security Council resolutions, rather than issuing statements “that carry no legal value or effect.”
Egypt described Huckabee’s statements as a “flagrant departure” from international law and stressed that Israel holds no sovereignty over Palestinian or other Arab territories. Cairo emphasized the importance of upholding agreements outlined in the U.S.-mediated 20-point framework for ending the conflict in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia condemned the remarks “in the strongest terms,” calling them reckless and a dangerous precedent. The kingdom warned that such comments undermine international peace, threaten regional security, and dismiss longstanding relations with the U.S. Saudi Arabia reiterated that a just peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital.
Other nations, including Kuwait, Iraq, and Oman, joined in condemning Huckabee’s statements, stressing that they violate international law, infringe on sovereignty, and threaten prospects for peace in the region. Each reaffirmed support for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on pre-1967 borders.
Huckabee, an evangelical Christian appointed U.S. ambassador to Israel in April 2025, has previously referenced biblical claims to justify territorial expansion. His remarks echo broader ideological currents in Israeli politics, including statements by Benjamin Netanyahu, who has expressed support for a “Greater Israel” vision.
The strong reactions from Arab states underline growing regional concerns over U.S. diplomatic rhetoric and the potential for controversial statements by high-profile officials to inflame tensions.
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