Arab states condemn U.S. envoy Mike Huckabee for ‘take it all’ remark on Israel’s biblical borders
Arab governments on Saturday condemned as “absurd,” “reckless” and contrary to international law remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee endorsing Israeli control from the Nile to the Euphrates — a span that would encompass swaths of multiple sovereign states, including the occupied West Bank.
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Huckabee made the comments in a podcast interview released Friday with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson. Citing “divine providence,” he argued Israel has a biblical right to vast territory and, when pressed by Carlson on the scope, replied: “It would be fine if they took it all.”
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry called the comments “absurd and provocative,” saying they violate diplomatic norms and breach both international law and the U.N. Charter. The ministry said the remarks also contradict President Donald Trump’s publicly stated opposition to the annexation of the occupied West Bank and urged a pivot to stabilizing Gaza and implementing the U.S. plan and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803, rather than “escalatory, irresponsible statements.”
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry denounced the remarks as a “flagrant departure” from international law and the U.N. Charter, saying they run counter to the 20-point framework the Trump administration has tied to ending the war in Gaza and the outcomes of a Board of Peace conference in Washington on Feb. 19. Cairo reiterated that Israel holds no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land or any Arab territory and rejected any attempt to annex the West Bank, separate it from Gaza or expand settlements.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry “strongly” condemned Huckabee’s statements as a violation of the U.N. Charter and diplomatic norms, calling them a dangerous precedent for a U.S. official and dismissive of longstanding ties with the region. Riyadh warned the rhetoric threatens international peace and security by antagonizing states and peoples, urged the U.S. State Department to clarify its position, and reaffirmed that a just peace can only come via a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry rejected the ambassador’s remarks as a clear breach of international law and relevant resolutions, including Resolution 2803, saying they undermine state sovereignty and could inflame tensions. Kuwait restated that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory or any Arab land and voiced firm support for Palestinian self-determination and a state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as capital, in line with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said the comments represent a serious overreach that contradicts international law and the U.N. Charter, infringing on sovereignty, independence and territorial unity. Baghdad reiterated its rejection of any doctrine of domination or fait accompli and urged adherence to international law to bolster regional security and peace.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry condemned the remarks as an illegitimate acceptance of imposing control over Arab lands, including occupied Palestinian territory, warning they undermine prospects for peace and threaten regional stability. Muscat reaffirmed support for Palestinian self-determination and a state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital, and for ending the occupation of all Arab territories.
Huckabee, appointed ambassador in April 2025, is an evangelical Christian who has previously advanced expansionist claims in the West Bank on what he describes as a “divine right.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israel’s i24 news channel last August that he feels “very attached” to a vision of Greater Israel, which in Israeli political discourse can refer to expanding Israel’s territory to encompass the West Bank, Gaza and Syria’s Golan Heights; some interpretations extend to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and parts of Jordan.
None of the Arab ministries’ statements referenced any formal U.S. clarification on Huckabee’s remarks. The statements converged on a central message: international borders and sovereignty are not subject to religious interpretation, and any lasting peace requires ending the occupation and advancing a negotiated two-state solution.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
