The Shift : International outcry over Huckabee claim that Israel can control from Egypt to Iraq

mondoweiss.net · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

Full Article

The popular conservative pundit Tucker Carlson recently interviewed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Carlson pressed the former Arkansas Governor on the country and the U.S. relationship with it, repeatedly leaving Huckabee flummoxed. Huckabee made many perplexing claims, but his most controversial statement came when Carlson asked him whether Israel has a biblical right to the land. Carlson asked Huckabee, who is a Baptist minister and a Christian Zionist, about a Bible verse in which God promises Abraham that his descendants will receive land “from the wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates – the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” Carlson said this basically amounted to the entire Middle East. “Israel is a land that God gave, through Abraham, to a people that he chose,” responded Huckabee. “It was a people, a place and a purpose.” Asked whether Israel had a right to it, he responded, “It would be fine if they took it all.” At the time I am typing this, the Carlson/Huckabee interview has been watched over 3 million times and is already causing something of an international scandal. The governments of more than a dozen countries, including allies such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, issued a joint statement condemning Huckabee’s comments and expressing “strong concern,” as his position directly contradicts official U.S. policy on annexation. “The Ministries reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty whatsoever over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or any other occupied Arab lands,” explains the statement. “They reiterated their firm rejection of any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, their strong opposition to the expansion of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and their categorical rejection of any threat to the sovereignty of Arab states.” “They further warned that the continuation of Israel’s expansionist policies and unlawful measures will only inflame violence and conflict in the region and undermine the prospects for peace and called for an end to these incendiary statements,” it continues. “The Ministries underscored their countries’ steadfast commitment to the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state along the lines of 4 June 1967, and the end of the occupation of all Arab lands.” The incident has forced Trump officials, such as Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau and Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, to call Arab leaders and assure them that Huckabee was expressing his personal views and that the administration’s policies have not shifted. In addition to the international fallout, the interview is reverberating domestically, as it further symbolizes the growing rift over Israel within the Republican Party. A Times of Israel report on the situation refers to the wider fight as “battle for the GOP’s soul.” The new controversy comes just two weeks after right-wing activist Carrie Prejean Boller was ousted from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission after criticizing Israel during a hearing. AIPAC convention It wasn’t long ago that AIPAC held a massive annual conference that was broadcast on C-SPAN. Thousands gathered to watch presidential hopefuls and influential lawmakers openly pledge their support for Israel. After its 2020 policy conference, AIPAC put a pause on public meetings over COVID concerns, but they never brought back the annual conference, preferring to embrace smaller meetings and video conferences. Last weekend was the lobbying group’s annual Congressional Summit, and the event certainly wasn’t broadcast on national television. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find any in-depth reporting on it. An AIPAC source told Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch that the meeting would focus on Iran. In her piece on the event, she notes that the organization has “largely stayed silent” amid its rapidly declining reputation among Democratic lawmakers and candidates. “The question facing the group heading into the midterm elections is whether growing discontent with AIPAC among the party grassroots and a growing number of rank-and-file Democrats will impact its time-tested strategy of working with both parties’ leadership,” writes Deutch. “But the decision by leading congressional lawmakers to attend the conference reveals that AIPAC’s bipartisan playbook is still effective, even as it shows signs of strain.” Yes, it’s true that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑LA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D‑NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attended the event, but will AIPAC’s overall election strategy prove effective? Earlier this month, their attacks on centrist Tom Malinowski in New Jersey’s 11th district Democratic primary probably helped Analilia Mejia, the most pro-Palestine candidate in the race, prevail. Now they’re reportedly intervening in the Illinois 9th district, to target Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a move that could propel Palestine advocate Kat Abughazaleh to victory. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who currently represents that district, just pulled her endorsement of Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller in Illinois’ 2nd district over AIPAC donations. “Illinois deserves leaders who put voters first, not AIPAC or out-of-state Trump donors,” said Schakowsky. “I cannot support any candidate running for Congress who is funded by these outside interests.” Odds & Ends 🇮🇱 Francesca Albanese is a powerful voice for justice, which is why the Israel lobby is trying to silence her 🗃️ How data on the crackdown on Gaza protests reflects the increasing repression of activist movements in the U.S. † Pope Leo rejects Trump invitation to join Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ 🇺🇸 Responsible Statecraft: What if today’s Iran is resigned to a long, hellish war with the US? ❌ Counterpunch: Trump’s Iran Gambit: Deception and Dangerous End Games 💰 Zeteo: AIPAC Lobbies Against a Bill to Ensure Israel Complies With the Ceasefire 🤑 IMEU: Trump’s Corporate Takeover of Gaza Denies Palestinian Self-Determination ⚾ Palestinian BDS National Committee: Palestinians Call to Exclude Genocidal Israel from Baseball ⛃ Financial Times: Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ explores stablecoin for Gaza 🫏 New York Magazine: The Democratic Party’s Breakup With AIPAC Is Almost Complete 👀 Politico: House Democrat withdraws endorsement in Chicago-area race over AIPAC funding 🇮🇷 Drop Site News: Trump Privately Dreams of Iran Regime Change Glory as Democrats Cynically Weigh Political Benefits of War 🏛️ Al Jazeera: US Department of Justice sues UCLA over anti-Semitism allegations