Mike Huckabee appeared to suggest in an interview that the country would have biblical rights over a vast swath of the region
Arab countries condemned this Saturday (21) at dstatements by the United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabeewho seemed to suggest in an interview that Israel would have biblical rights over a vast swath of the Middle East.
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and fervent ally of Israel, made the statements on the podcast of far-right American journalist Tucker Carlson, who is also critical of Israel.
In an episode airing Friday, Carlson pressed Huckabee on the meaning of a Bible verse that is sometimes interpreted to mean that Israel has a right to land between the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates in Syria and Iraq.
In response, Huckabee said, “It would be fine if they kept it all.”.
However, when questioned again, Huckabee stated that Israel “is not asking to keep all of this” and added: “It was, in some ways, a hyperbolic statement.”
Several Arab countries condemned the American diplomat.
Saudi Arabia described his words as “reckless” and “irresponsible”, while Jordan said they were “an attack on the sovereignty of countries in the region”.
Kuwait called the statement a “flagrant violation of the principles of international law”, while Oman said the comments “threatened the prospects for peace” and stability in the region.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed “that Israel does not have sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory nor over any other Arab land.”
The Palestinian Authority stated in X that Huckabee’s words “contradict American President Donald Trump’s rejection of (Israel’s) annexation of the West Bank.”
This Saturday, Huckabee published two messages on X further clarifying his position on other topics mentioned in the interview, but did not address his comment on the biblical verse.
*With information from AFP
