US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said it would be “fine if they took it all” when asked whether Israel had the right to control territory across West Asia in a newly released interview with conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson. He later described the remark as “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement”.
The interview was recorded during Carlson’s recent visit to Israel and released on Friday, February 20. The visit had earlier drawn attention after Carlson claimed he was briefly questioned by security officials at Ben Gurion Airport, though Israeli and US authorities said he underwent routine screening.
The discussion centred on biblical interpretations and the Jewish people’s historical and religious connection to the land. Huckabee said the territory was given to the Jewish people through Abraham and described this link as a defining element of g identity.6⁶
Carlson referred to scriptural passages that some interpret as extending the promised land from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq. He noted that this could include present-day Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, along with parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. When asked whether such 6claims justified territorial control, Huckabee made the remark that drew widespread attention.
He later clarified that Israel was not seeking to take over the region. Huckabee said his statement was not meant literally and that Israel’s focus remained on protecting its people. He added that the country was not asking to control additional land but wanted to ensure security and stability.
The interview followed a public exchange between Carlson and Huckabee over Israel’s treatment of Christians. Carlson had questioned whether the US Embassy was doing enough to defend Christian interests. Huckabee invited him to visit Israel and see the situation firsthand, which led to the discussion.
The comments come at a sensitive time in the region, with international concern over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and the future of a two-state solution. The principle of territorial integrity and the prohibition of acquiring land by force remain central to international law.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula during the 1967 war. It later returned Sinai to Egypt under the Camp David agreement but continues to occupy the West Bank. Israel also annexed the Golan Heights in 1981.
The Gaza conflict that began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has intensified international scrutiny of Israeli policies and US support for the country.
