Huckabee Biblical Land Remark Triggers Widest Arab Rebuke in Years

newsghana.com.gh · Feb 22, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Mike Huckabee A single phrase from United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has ignited the most sweeping joint diplomatic condemnation from Arab and Muslim governments in recent memory, drawing simultaneous protests from fourteen countries and three major regional bodies over comments made during an interview with commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday, 20 February 2026. The exchange centred on Genesis 15:18, in which God tells Avram that his descendants will receive land stretching from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates. Carlson pressed Huckabee, a self-described Christian Zionist, on whether Israel had a Biblical right to that territory, which would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Huckabee replied: “It would be fine if they took it all.” The response from the Arab and Muslim world was swift and unified. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority issued a joint statement condemning the remarks, joined by the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The joint statement described the remarks as “dangerous and inflammatory,” constituting “a flagrant violation of the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and a grave threat to the security and stability of the region.” Signatories also argued the comments directly undermined the Gaza ceasefire framework and the broader peace process. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s language as “extremist rhetoric” that was “unacceptable” and called on the State Department to formally clarify Washington’s position. Egypt’s foreign ministry called the remarks a “blatant violation” of international law and reiterated that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands. Huckabee moved quickly to limit the damage but did so in contradictory ways. He described the remark as “somewhat hyperbolic” and insisted Israel had no desire to expand its current borders. He then attacked Carlson on social media, writing that the version of the clip posted on X had edited out his full response, and accused the Arab League of needing “a new translator.” A US Embassy spokesperson stated on Sunday that Huckabee’s comments had been taken out of context and that no change in US policy toward Israel had occurred. The White House and State Department had not issued independent statements as of Sunday evening. The controversy arrived at a particularly sensitive moment. Just one week before the interview aired, Israel’s Security Cabinet had approved new measures to tighten control over the West Bank and facilitate Jewish settler land purchases, drawing widespread concern from Western governments and condemnation across the Middle East. In Hebron, the local Palestinian governorate was stripped of planning and building authority, transferring control to Israeli officials. Rights advocates warned that Washington’s failure to formally reprimand Huckabee or remove him from post would be interpreted globally as an endorsement of his views by the Trump administration. The episode unfolded against broader regional tension, with Iran warning it will strike both Israel and US bases in the Middle East if the United States attacks it, and Trump signalling on Friday that limited strikes against Iran remain possible even as nuclear diplomacy continues. Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News