US Ambassador Huckabee’s Biblical Land Claim Provokes Unified Arab‑Muslim Condemnation and Prompted His Hyperbolic Walk‑back
Updated (6 articles)
Huckabee’s Genesis‑Based Statement Triggers Immediate Outcry In a Tucker Carlson podcast released on 20 Feb 2026, U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee invoked a Genesis verse, saying Israel “has a biblical right” to territory stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates and that “it would be fine if they took it all” [1][2][3][4][5][6]. He framed the comment as a hypothetical, adding Israel is not actively seeking such expansion [5]. The remark instantly ignited protests and social‑media backlash across the Arab and Muslim world [1][2].
Arab, Muslim, and International Bodies Issue Joint Condemnation On 22 Feb 2026, foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and regional organisations (OIC, Arab League, GCC) released a coordinated communiqué denouncing Huckabee’s remarks as “dangerous, inflammatory” and a violation of the UN Charter and international law [1][2][3][4]. The statement warned the comments could undermine de‑escalation efforts in the Gaza war and jeopardize President Trump’s Gaza‑related initiatives [2]. More than ten Arab and Muslim‑majority states signed the joint declaration [1].
Individual Governments Label Remarks Irresponsible and Illegal Saudi Arabia called the statements “reckless” and “dangerous,” Jordan described them as “an affront to regional sovereignty,” Egypt reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over any Arab land, while Kuwait and Oman cited breaches of the UN Charter and threats to peace [1][3][4][5][6]. Iran accused the United States of “active complicity” in Israel’s expansionist agenda [1]. Palestinian authorities labeled the comments contradictory to President Trump’s stance on annexation [1][5].
Palestinian Authority and President Trump Positions Contradicted The Palestinian Authority posted on X that Huckabee’s claim “contradicts President Donald Trump’s rejection of Israel’s annexation project in the West Bank” [1]. Huckabee had previously supported Trump’s 2024 annexation policy, but Trump publicly reversed his position in September 2025, stating he would block any West Bank annexation [2][5]. The Palestinian foreign ministry emphasized that the ambassador’s remarks clash with both international law and Trump’s current policy [2].
Huckabee Attempts to Qualify Comment as Hyperbolic After the backlash, Huckabee told Carlson the remark was “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement” and clarified that Israel is “not asking to take all of that” [3][6]. Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana praised Huckabee’s pro‑Israel stance, while critics such as Human Rights Watch’s former director and historians condemned the ambassador as “over‑the‑top” and “fundamentalist” [4]. The episode highlights a diplomatic misstep that has strained U.S. relations with a broad coalition of Arab and Muslim nations [1][2][3][4][5][6].
Sources
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1.
*Le Monde*: US Ambassador’s Biblical Claim Triggers Arab Outcry – Details Huckabee’s Genesis claim, the immediate protests, and the collective condemnation by over ten Arab and Muslim states, emphasizing the diplomatic fallout
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2.
CNN: Middle East Nations Condemn US Ambassador Huckabee’s Expansionist Remarks** – Highlights the joint UAE‑led statement, the link to Trump’s Gaza plan, and the contradiction with Trump’s 2025 annexation stance
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3.
The Hindu: Arab and Muslim Nations Condemn US Ambassador’s Biblical Land Claim** – Provides the full list of signatory ministries, Huckabee’s later hyperbolic clarification, and reactions from Israeli officials and Carlson
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4.
Newsweek: Middle East Leaders Condemn U.S. Ambassador’s “Fine If Israel Took It All” Remark** – Adds commentary from Human Rights Watch’s former director and scholars criticizing Huckabee’s rhetoric
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5.
AP: U.S. Ambassador Huckabee’s Claim That Israel Deserves Much of the Middle East Sparks Regional Outcry** – Offers background on Israel’s contested borders, settlement expansion, and Huckabee’s long‑standing opposition to a two‑state solution
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6.
The Hindu: U.S. Envoy Mike Huckabee Says Israel Could “Take It All,” Then Walks Back Remark** – Focuses on Jordan’s diplomatic rebuke, the hyperbolic qualifier, and a concise history of Israel’s territorial changes
Timeline
1948 – Israel declares independence, but its borders remain unrecognized and contested, creating a long‑standing territorial dispute that underlies today’s biblical land‑claim controversy. [3]
1967 – The Six‑Day War expands Israel’s control to the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and the Golan Heights, establishing the contested territories referenced in modern diplomatic arguments. [3]
1978 – The Camp David Accords lead Israel to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, demonstrating that major territorial adjustments are possible through negotiated peace. [5]
2005 – Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip while retaining control of its borders and airspace, illustrating a partial disengagement pattern that continues to shape regional dynamics. [5]
2023 – Israel re‑invades Gaza, re‑establishes a blockade and expands settlement activity, intensifying tensions that frame the recent diplomatic fallout. [5]
Late 2024 – After Bashar al‑Assad’s ouster, Israel creates a temporary buffer zone in Syria and occupies five hilltop posts in Lebanon, showing its willingness to extend security zones beyond internationally recognized borders. [3]
Dec 2024 – With the Syrian regime’s collapse, Israel expands into the Golan Heights and southern Lebanon, further altering the de‑facto frontiers that Huckabee later references. [5]
Nov 2024 – Ambassador Mike Huckabee tells Israel’s Army Radio he will implement President Trump’s policy supporting annexation of the occupied West Bank, signaling his long‑standing endorsement of expansive Israeli claims. [1]
Sep 2025 – President Donald Trump publicly declares he will not permit annexation of the West Bank, creating a policy reversal that puts Huckabee’s earlier stance at odds with the administration. [1]
Feb 20, 2026 – In a Tucker Carlson podcast episode released on this date, Huckabee asserts that Genesis grants Israel “historical and biblical rights” from the Nile to the Euphrates and says, “it would be fine if they took it all,” later calling the comment “somewhat hyperbolic.” [4][6][5]
Feb 21, 2026 – Jordan’s foreign ministry condemns Huckabee’s remark as “absurd and provocative,” accusing him of violating the UN Charter and contradicting Trump’s anti‑annexation stance. [2][5]
Feb 21, 2026 – Saudi Arabia and Egypt issue statements labeling the remarks “reckless,” “irresponsible,” and a “blatant violation of international law,” underscoring regional alarm over potential Israeli expansion. [2][4]
Feb 21, 2026 – Former Human Rights Watch director Kenneth Roth posts on X that Huckabee “would be happy if Israel took over not only all of Palestine but also much of the rest of the Middle East,” adding a prominent human‑rights critique. [2]
Feb 21, 2026 – Historians William Dalrymple and Mark Seddon publicly denounce the ambassador, calling U.S. policy “driven by fundamentalist nutters” and labeling Huckabee “the kind of evangelical moron who wants the World to end.” [2]
Feb 21, 2026 – A senior UN representative describes Israel’s recent settlement measures as “progressive annexation,” noting control of East Jerusalem, the Golan, and over 500,000 settlers in the West Bank, thereby contextualizing the legal controversy. [6]
Feb 22, 2026 – More than ten Arab and Muslim‑majority states, together with the OIC, Arab League and GCC, issue a joint communiqué condemning Huckabee’s comments as “dangerous and inflammatory,” claiming they violate the UN Charter and jeopardize de‑escalation of the Gaza war. [4]
Feb 22, 2026 – The Palestinian Authority posts that Huckabee’s claim “contradicts President Trump’s rejection of Israel’s annexation project in the West Bank,” linking the diplomatic row to U.S. policy on Gaza. [4][1]
Feb 22, 2026 – Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana praises Huckabee’s “pro‑Israel stance,” while Tucker Carlson faces accusations of antisemitism after a recent interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes, highlighting domestic U.S. media tensions surrounding the episode. [4]
2026 (ongoing) – The Board of Peace meeting in Washington, referenced in the joint statement, outlines President Trump’s Gaza‑related initiatives, which regional actors warn could be undermined by the ambassador’s expansionist rhetoric. [1]
External resources (7 links)
- https://t.co/0fLelytuoJ (cited 1 times)
- https://t.co/jTI9EAZezE (cited 1 times)
- https://twitter.com/hashtag/Statement?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/ForeignMinistry/status/2025141102030836094 (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/TCNetwork/status/2024911932092813478 (cited 1 times)
- https://x.com/pmofa/status/2025202492150034557 (cited 1 times)