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dalton99a

(93,250 posts)
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 01:33 PM Saturday

US ambassador Mike Huckabee causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East

https://apnews.com/article/israel-ambassador-huckabee-middle-east-arab-muslim-e88a235c48bfb904f0ee7f8a72edf250

US ambassador causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East
By SAM MEDNICK and SAMY MAGDY
Updated 12:26 PM CST, February 21, 2026

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Arab and Muslim nations on Saturday sharply condemned comments by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who said Israel has a right to much of the Middle East.

Huckabee made the comments in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would include essentially the entire Middle East, and asked Huckabee if Israel had a right to that land.

Huckabee responded: “It would be fine if they took it all.” Huckabee added, however, that Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it legitimately holds.

His comments sparked immediate backlash from neighboring Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which in separate statements called them extremist, provocative and not in line with the U.S. position.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comments as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable,” and called for the State Department to clarify its position on them.

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Well, except where the Trump Gaza will be located


12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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US ambassador Mike Huckabee causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East (Original Post) dalton99a Saturday OP
Another old guy... 2naSalit Saturday #1
He should stick to advertising sleeping pills. Turbineguy Saturday #2
+1. And selling Trump propaganda dalton99a Saturday #4
What a stunning admission leftstreet Saturday #3
They have a right to a fair trial. Iggo Saturday #5
Oh, goody! Another polyester hayseed prophet thumping the Rapture Tub! hatrack Saturday #6
Huckabee Schmuckabee! VMA131Marine Saturday #7
How fucking crazy is this shit? maxrandb Saturday #8
When anti-Semites get together, it's never good for the Jews. Behind the Aegis Saturday #9
He's hoping to increase tensions MurrayDelph Saturday #10
Love to watch Republicans going after Republicans womanofthehills Saturday #11
MaddowBlog-Huckabee's Israel comments spark controversy, adding to Trump's ambassadorial woes LetMyPeopleVote 4 hrs ago #12

hatrack

(64,628 posts)
6. Oh, goody! Another polyester hayseed prophet thumping the Rapture Tub!
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 01:53 PM
Saturday

Just what the Middle East needs!!!

maxrandb

(17,354 posts)
8. How fucking crazy is this shit?
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 02:29 PM
Saturday

Monty Python couldn't even imagine this insane distribution of power....oh wait!

?si=__WBzBLjkNJjLNw4

Behind the Aegis

(56,061 posts)
9. When anti-Semites get together, it's never good for the Jews.
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 03:04 PM
Saturday

This is just more fodder for other anti-Semites.

MurrayDelph

(5,734 posts)
10. He's hoping to increase tensions
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 04:50 PM
Saturday

to the point that it brings his imaginary friend back to earth.

Either way he's in for a surprise: either his friend doesn't come back to Earth, or he does but leaves Mike behind.

womanofthehills

(10,845 posts)
11. Love to watch Republicans going after Republicans
Sat Feb 21, 2026, 05:24 PM
Saturday

Tucker is at least very anti-war. This is one of about 10 clips from interview all over X. All are very interesting as Tucker really pushes the fake Christian Huckabee about Israel and how badly Christians in Israel are being treated.

Trump must be pissed. Interesting watching this division in the Republican Party.

LetMyPeopleVote

(177,801 posts)
12. MaddowBlog-Huckabee's Israel comments spark controversy, adding to Trump's ambassadorial woes
Tue Feb 24, 2026, 10:56 AM
4 hrs ago

In recent days, we’ve received multiple reminders: Donald Trump’s diplomats could stand to be more diplomatic.

Three U.S. ambassadors sparked three international incidents over the course of a week:
- Ambassador to Belgium Bill White
- Ambassador to France Charles Kushner
- Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee

But Huckabee’s controversy is clearly generating the biggest backlash.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-23T21:49:32.679Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/huckabees-israel-comments-spark-controversy-adding-to-trumps-ambassadorial-woes

But in between developments in Brussels and Paris, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sparked an even more serious controversy. The New York Times reported:

Remarks by Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, prompted a storm of condemnation from Arab leaders over the weekend after he suggested that it ‘would be fine’ if Israel took lands stretching across the Middle East from Egypt to Iraq.

Mr. Huckabee, an evangelical Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel, made the comments during a two-hour interview with the provocative right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, which aired on Friday
.


To put it mildly, many in the region were not impressed. Politico reported that the backlash included public criticism from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comment as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable,” while Egypt’s foreign ministry called the remark a “blatant violation” of international law. The League of Arab States added, “Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions.”

Over the weekend, Huckabee tried to walk back his comments, insisting that he was taken out of context. In the same interview, the ambassador, who previously served as governor of Arkansas, said Israel isn’t trying to “take all of that,” though he added, “They are asking to at least take the land that they now occupy, they now live in, they now own legitimately, and it is a safe haven for them.”
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