Mike Huckabee, the United States ambassador to Israel and former Arkansas governor, told podcaster Tucker Carlson that Israel would have a biblical right to occupy the entire Middle East, or at least a large portion of it. During an interview aired Friday, Huckabee referenced Old Testament scripture in which God promises Abraham that his descendants would inherit land “from the wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates,” covering what Carlson described as “basically the entire Middle East.”
Huckabee clarified that while Israel might not extend to every part of that area, it would encompass “a big piece of land,” including the Levant, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He framed the claim in religious terms, saying Israel is “a land that God gave, through Abraham, to a people that he chose. It was a people, a place and a purpose.” When pressed on whether Israel has the right to all that territory, Huckabee responded: “It would be fine if they took it all.”
The interview took place during Huckabee’s visit to Israel, which also featured headlines over Carlson’s claims of unusual treatment at Ben Gurion airport. Israeli and U.S. officials later stated that Carlson underwent routine security questioning and was neither detained nor interrogated. Huckabee defended the security procedures, emphasizing that all travelers entering Israel are subject to passport checks and standard questioning.
Huckabee’s remarks represent a traditional pro-Israel conservative stance and contrast with Carlson’s increasingly critical position on U.S. support for Israel. The interview drew sharp criticism from former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who called Carlson a “phony” after his claims about airport treatment. Huckabee’s statements, however, have fueled renewed debate over the intersection of religion, politics, and territorial claims in the Middle East.
