Tel Aviv (TDI): US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has stirred a controversy after comments he made during a televised interview suggested that it “would be fine” if Israel were to control territory described in the Bible as stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates.
Huckabee made the remarks while appearing on The Tucker Carlson Show, hosted by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. The conversation focused on scripture, Israel’s present-day borders, and how religious interpretations intersect with modern geopolitics.
During the exchange, Carlson read a passage from the Book of Genesis describing land promised to Abraham and his descendants. He noted that the territory mentioned in the biblical text extends well beyond Israel’s current borders and would encompass large portions of today’s Middle East. Carlson then asked whether, based on that description, Israel could claim a right to such land.
“So God gave that land, basically the entire Middle East,” Carlson said, pressing Huckabee on whether Israel therefore had a legitimate claim to it. “It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee responded.
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Carlson followed up by asking whether that interpretation would include modern states such as Jordan. Huckabee clarified that Israel is not seeking to annex neighboring countries and is not pursuing territorial expansion.
“They don’t want to take it,” Huckabee said. “They’re not asking to take it over.”
As the discussion continued, Huckabee suggested his earlier remark had been exaggerated. He characterized it as “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement” and emphasized that the conversation was theological rather than a reflection of official US policy.
According to Huckabee, Israel’s primary concern remains its security and long-term survival, not redrawing borders on the basis of biblical narratives. He stressed that the country is focused on defending the territory it currently controls and ensuring the safety of its citizens.
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Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, has long framed his support for Israel in religious as well as political terms. Appointed ambassador by Donald Trump and confirmed in 2025, he previously served as governor of Arkansas and has been an outspoken supporter of Israel for many years.
Clips from the interview circulated widely on social media following the broadcast, prompting renewed debate over the intersection of faith, diplomacy, and Middle East politics.
