Arab and Muslim-majority countries have condemned US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee for arguing that Israel has a biblical right to much of the Middle East.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson released on Friday, Huckabee, a Baptist minister and self-described Christian Zionist, said it “would be fine” if Israel took territory stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. He later added that Israel is not seeking to expand its territory and has a right to maintain its security.
The Arab League, a coalition of 22 member states, slammed the remarks as “highly extremist,” saying they are “inconsistent with the fundamental principles and norms of diplomacy.”
“Statements of this nature – extremist and lacking any sound basis – serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions at a time when states are convening under the framework of the Board of Peace to explore ways of implementing the Gaza peace agreement,” said Gamal Roshdy, spokesman for Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which comprises 57 Muslim-majority nations, issued a similar statement, warning that such “dangerous and irresponsible” remarks “fuel extremist ideological rhetoric” and encourage Israel to “impose annexation” on Palestinian territory.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said Huckabee’s “absurd and provocative” statements violate diplomatic norms and the UN Charter. Egypt described the statements as a “flagrant departure” from international law and UN principles.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Lebanon, Türkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Palestinian Authority also condemned the US envoy as undermining international peace and security.
Israel maintains military control over parts of the West Bank and Gaza, as well as southern Lebanon and southwestern Syria. Earlier this month, Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to designate large areas of the West Bank as “state property” for the first time since the 1967 Six-Day War. Muslim countries denounced the move and called for the international community to take “clear and decisive steps” against Israel.