Arab, Muslim nations slam ‘inflammatory’ remarks by US ambassador to Israel
France 24
by FRANCE 24February 22, 2026
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Arab and Muslim nations have strongly condemned remarks made by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who suggested that Israel has a biblical right to a vast region of the Middle East. In a recent podcast interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson, Huckabee stated that it “would be fine” if Israel took over a significant portion of the region, including areas in Egypt and Syria. While he later clarified his remarks, calling them "hyperbolic," the backlash from Arab and Islamic countries was swift and severe.
The joint statement, released by the United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry, included 14 Arab and Islamic nations, as well as major regional organizations like the Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council. The statement condemned Huckabee's comments as "dangerous and inflammatory" and reaffirmed their commitment to international law and peace efforts in the region. It also explicitly rejected any notion of Israel's sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territories or other Arab lands.
The reaction from individual countries was equally strong. Iran accused Huckabee of revealing "American active complicity" in Israel's expansionist policies, while Saudi Arabia called his remarks "reckless" and Jordan described them as an assault on regional sovereignty. Kuwait criticized the comments as a flagrant violation of international law, and Oman warned
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Originally published on France 24 on 2/22/2026