Arab, Muslim countries slam U.S. Ambassador's remarks on Israel’s right to West Asian land

Arab and Islamic countries issued a associated condemnation connected Sunday (February 22, 2026) of remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who suggested Israel had a biblical close to a immense swath of the West Asia.

Mr. Huckabee, a erstwhile Baptist Minister and a fervent Israel supporter, was speaking connected the podcast of far-right commentator and Israel professional Tucker Carlson.

In an occurrence released Friday (February 20, 2026), Mr. Carlson pushed Mr. Huckabee connected the meaning of a biblical verse sometimes interpreted arsenic saying that Israel is entitled to the onshore betwixt the stream Nile successful Egypt and the Euphrates successful Syria and Iraq.

In response, Mr. Huckabee said: "It would beryllium good if they took it all."

When pressed, however, helium continued that Israel was "not asking to instrumentality each of that", adding: "It was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement."

The backlash widened sharply connected Sunday (February 22, 20260 arsenic much than a twelve Arab and Islamic governments —alongside 3 large determination organisations — issued a associated connection denouncing the U.S. diplomat's comments arsenic "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, arsenic good arsenic the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

They said the comments contravene the UN Charter and efforts to deescalate the Gaza warfare and beforehand a governmental skyline for a broad settlement.

Earlier, respective Arab states had issued unilateral condemnations.

Saudi Arabia described the Ambassador's words arsenic "reckless" and "irresponsible", portion Jordan said it was "an battle connected the sovereignty of the countries of the region".

Kuwait decried what it called a "flagrant usurpation of the principles of planetary law", portion Oman said the comments "threatened the prospects for peace" and stableness successful the region.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed "that Israel has nary sovereignty implicit the occupied Palestinian territory oregon immoderate different Arab lands".

The Palestinian Authority said connected X that Mr. Huckabee's words "contradict US President Donald Trump's rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank".

On Saturday, Mr. Huckabee published 2 posts connected X further clarifying his presumption connected different topics touched upon successful the interview, but did not code his remark astir the biblical verse.

The Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, Amir Ohana, praised Mr. Huckabee connected X for his wide pro-Israel stance successful the interview, and accused Mr. Carlson of "falsehoods and manipulations".

Mr. Carlson has precocious recovered himself facing accusations of antisemitism, peculiarly pursuing a lengthy, uncritical interrogation with self-described achromatic nationalist Nick Fuentes — a fig who has praised Hitler, denied the Holocaust and branded American Jews arsenic disloyal.