Arab and Islamic nations have voiced strong indignation and directed sharp criticism toward the United States following remarks from a high-ranking U.S. official suggesting that Zionist Israel has a right to dominate the Middle East and seize lands from regional countries. Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador-designate to Israel, made comments implying that the annexation of Middle Eastern territories is a legitimate right of the Jewish people. Huckabee, a close ally of President Donald Trump and an evangelical Christian who supports the seizure of Palestinian lands, made these assertions during an interview with Tucker Carlson. In the interview, Carlson questioned whether the land between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt belongs to the descendants of Abraham and should thus be considered Israel’s rightful territory. The vast region Carlson referred to encompasses several nations, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Responding to Carlson’s inquiry, Huckabee stated that the prospect of all those lands coming under Jewish control was “not a problem at all.” These remarks have been vehemently condemned by Arab and Islamic countries, sparking a wave of backlash against the United States. In an attempt to deflect the mounting criticism, Huckabee later claimed his comments were intended as “hyperbole” rather than a statement of literal fact. He further asserted that there are no active efforts by Zionists to seize all Middle Eastern lands. Nevertheless, the outcry from the Muslim world remains directed at Huckabee, the U.S. administration, and President Trump. Formal statements denouncing the remarks have been issued by Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League. These bodies characterized Huckabee’s rhetoric as “extremist” and described it as a deliberate provocation against Muslims and Arabs, contradicting Washington’s publicly stated policies.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Huckabee’s statements as “extremist” and unacceptable, calling on the U.S. State Department to clarify the intent behind such rhetoric. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry asserted that Huckabee’s remarks violate international law, emphasizing that Zionists hold no sovereign authority over Palestinian or Arab territories. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry labeled the comments a diplomatic affront and an act of aggression against the sovereignty of regional states. Furthermore, the Arab League warned that such baseless and radical rhetoric exacerbates religious and national tensions.
Appointed by Trump as the Ambassador to Israel in 2024, Huckabee is a vocal opponent of a sovereign Palestinian state. He refuses to acknowledge the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and the colonial rule imposed upon its people. He has previously faced backlash for derogatory comments, including claims that “there is no such thing as a Palestinian.”
