'Fine if Israel took it all': US envoy Mike Huckabee
What's the story
United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has sparked controversy with his remarks about Israel's claim to the entire Middle East. In an interview with podcaster Tucker Carlson, Huckabee said that Israel has "historical and biblical rights" to the land. When asked by Carlson if he meant all of it, Huckabee replied, "It would be fine if they took it all."
Biblical claims
Israel's historical connection to land
Carlson pointed out that the biblical promise to Abraham includes land "from the wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates," which would cover most of the Middle East. Huckabee said he wasn't sure if it would go that far, but admitted it would be a big piece of land. He emphasized Israel's connection to this land as a "people, a place, and a purpose."
Clarification issued
'Hyperbolic statement'
However, when Carlson asked if he would support Israel expanding across the region, Huckabee seemed to backtrack. He called his earlier statement a "hyperbolic statement" and clarified that while Israel wants peace, they also want to protect their people. This comes amid ongoing tensions in the region, with Israel controlling parts of the Gaza Strip and Southern Lebanon after military actions in 2023 and 2024.
Airport incident
Carlson's airport detention
The interview also touched on Carlson's recent claims of being detained at Tel Aviv airport, which were denied by Israeli and US officials as routine security questioning. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett criticized Carlson for his portrayal of the incident, calling him "chickenshit." Huckabee defended standard security procedures at Israeli airports in response to these controversies.