The US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, expressed openness to the idea of Tel Aviv expanding its territory into significant areas of the Middle East, as reported by Al-Jazeera.
Huckabee, known for his strong pro-Israel stance as an evangelical Christian conservative, made these remarks during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. When questioned about Israel’s current borders, Huckabee emphasized that they are outlined in the Bible.
Carlson pointed out that the biblical reference encompasses the land between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile in Egypt. Huckabee remarked that he would not object if Israel decided to claim all of that territory.
Surprised by Huckabee’s statement, Carlson sought clarification on whether the ambassador truly supported Israel’s potential expansion throughout the region. Huckabee responded by stating that Israel was not actively seeking to take over those areas.
Despite initially expressing his views in a somewhat exaggerated manner, Huckabee later described his comments as “hyperbolic,” but maintained that he didn’t discount the possibility of Israeli expansion based on his religious beliefs.
Huckabee also mentioned a scenario where if Israel were attacked by neighboring countries and emerged victorious, leading to territorial gains, it would warrant a different conversation.
This is not the first time Huckabee has sparked controversy. In June 2025, he indicated that he did not see the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as a priority in US foreign policy, drawing a response from the State Department clarifying that he was expressing his personal opinion.
When asked whether Huckabee’s statements signaled a shift in US policy, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce refrained from commenting, emphasizing that policy decisions lay with President Trump and the White House.
Huckabee proposed the idea of creating a new piece of land within a Muslim country instead of expecting Israel to accommodate territorial adjustments. He questioned whether this new territory had to be situated in Judea and Samaria, the biblical term favored by the Israeli government for the West Bank, where millions of Palestinians reside.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was unlawful and must cease immediately.
Copyright: Asia News Network/Dawn
