Huckabee mocks Arab League condemnation of his remarks endorsing Israel biblical territorial claims

globalsecurity.org · Feb 23, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Iran Press TV Sunday, 22 February 2026 10:57 PM US Ambassador to Israeli-occupied territories Mike Huckabee has pushed back against widespread criticism and mocked the Arab League's condemnation following his recent interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, in which he endorsed the notion of Israel expanding its territory across much of the West Asia region based on biblical interpretations. In the interview, released on Friday, Huckabee responded to a question about a Genesis passage promising land to Abraham's descendants "from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates" by saying, "It would be fine if they took it all." He quickly qualified the comment, describing it as hyperbolic and stressing that Israel was not seeking such expansion but focused on defending its existing territory. The statement drew sharp backlash from Arab and Muslim nations, including a joint condemnation from over a dozen countries—among them Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, and others—along with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. They labeled the remarks "dangerous and inflammatory," a violation of international law, and a threat to regional stability. On Sunday, Huckabee took to social media to defend himself, claiming his words had been selectively edited or taken out of context. He accused Carlson of omitting parts of his full response and shared an article highlighting that the regional outcry stemmed from "partial remarks." In a pointed jab, Huckabee reposted content suggesting the Arab League "needs a new translator" for its interpretation of his comments. The US Embassy in al-Quds stated that Huckabee's full remarks did not indicate any shift in American policy and reiterated that Israel has no intention of altering its current borders. The controversy continues to fuel debate over US diplomacy in the region amid Huckabee's longstanding Christian Zionist views and support for Israel. The State Department has not issued a direct public response to the controversy, despite requests for comment. Advocacy groups have called for Huckabee's removal. Raed Jarrar of the US-based rights organization DAWN described the comments as no mere gaffe, arguing that "an ambassador who publicly endorses Israeli territorial expansion across the entire Middle East cannot serve as a representative of the United States." He warned that the Trump administration's inaction would be seen globally as tacit endorsement of such views, further damaging US credibility in the region. Huckabee, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2025, has long advocated for strong US support of Israel, including opposing a two-state solution and referring to parts of the occupied West Bank by biblical names like "Judea and Samaria." During the interview, he also appeared to describe "Area C"—about 60% of the occupied West Bank—as part of Israel, a position at odds with longstanding US policy against annexation. NEWSLETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list