Arab and Muslim nations condemn US ambassador for backing Israel’s ‘right’ to expansion

Monday, February 23 2026 - More than a dozen Arab and Muslim-majority governments have issued a joint condemnation of remarks made by Mike Huckabee, after he suggested Israel would be justified in taking control of a vast region of the Middle East on Biblical grounds.

The comments were made during an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, in which Huckabee was asked whether Israel had a Biblical right to territory stretching between the River Nile and the Euphrates, an area encompassing large parts of the modern Middle East.

Responding to the hypothetical scenario, Huckabee said “it would be fine if it took it all,” though he later described the remark as “hyperbolic” and clarified that Israel was not seeking to occupy the entire region. He added that Israel was “asking to at least take the land that they now occupy” and ensure security for its people. The interview prompted swift diplomatic backlash.

In a joint statement issued by the United Arab Emirates on behalf of multiple governments, including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia and others, the remarks were described as “dangerous and inflammatory.” The signatories said the comments threatened regional stability and undermined efforts to end the war in Gaza.

The statement argued that any suggestion Israel could exercise sovereignty over occupied Arab lands, including the West Bank, violated international law. It also reiterated support for a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The declaration was additionally endorsed by regional bodies including the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Huckabee has previously voiced support for Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, a stance that departs from longstanding US policy backing a negotiated two-state framework.

Israel has expanded settlement construction in the West Bank since capturing the territory in the 1967 war. The settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law, including in a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, a conclusion rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The controversy comes amid continuing conflict in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign. The diplomatic fallout highlights ongoing tensions over sovereignty, annexation, and the broader future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.