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UAE, Arab states condemn Huckabee's remarks on Israel's 'rights' to Mideast land
The backlash widened sharply on Sunday as more than a dozen Arab and Islamic governments issued a joint statement denouncing the US diplomat's comments as "dangerous and inflammatory"
- PUBLISHED: Sun 22 Feb 2026, 7:39 AM
- By:
- AFP
Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint condemnation on Sunday of remarks by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who suggested Israel had a biblical right to a vast swath of the Middle East.
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and a fervent Israel supporter, was speaking on the podcast of far-right commentator and Israel critic Tucker Carlson.
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In an episode released Friday, Carlson pushed Huckabee on the meaning of a biblical verse sometimes interpreted as saying that Israel is entitled to the land between the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates in Syria and Iraq.
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In response, Huckabee said, "It would be fine if they took it all."
When pressed, however, he continued that Israel was "not asking to take all of that," adding, "It was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement."
The backlash widened sharply on Sunday as more than a dozen Arab and Islamic governments—alongside three major regional organisations—issued a joint statement denouncing the US diplomat's comments as "dangerous and inflammatory".
The statement, released by the United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry, was signed by the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and the State of Palestine, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
They said the comments contravene the UN Charter and efforts to de-escalate the Gaza war and advance a political horizon for a comprehensive settlement.
The ministries also reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty whatsoever over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or any other occupied Arab lands.
They reiterated their firm rejection of any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, their strong opposition to the expansion of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and their categorical rejection of any threat to the sovereignty of Arab states.
The statement further warned that the continuation of Israel's 'expansionist policies and unlawful measures' will only worsen violence and conflict and threaten peace efforts in the region.
Earlier, several Arab states had issued unilateral condemnations.
Saudi Arabia described the ambassador's words as "reckless" and "irresponsible", while Jordan said it was "an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region".
Kuwait decried what it called a "flagrant violation of the principles of international law", while Oman said the comments "threatened the prospects for peace" and stability in the region.
Egypt's foreign ministry reaffirmed "that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or any other Arab lands."
The Palestinian Authority said on X that Huckabee's words "contradict US President Donald Trump's rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank."
On Saturday, Huckabee published two posts on X further clarifying his position on other topics touched upon in the interview but did not address his remark about the biblical verse.
The speaker of the Israeli parliament, Amir Ohana, praised Huckabee on X for his general pro-Israel stance in the interview and accused Carlson of "falsehoods and manipulations".
