US envoy Huckabee tries to deny saying he would support Israel expansionism
Al Jazeera
February 22, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has sparked controversy after suggesting that Israel's expansion across the Middle East would be "fine" based on his interpretation of biblical scripture. The remarks, made during an interview with podcaster Tucker Carlson, drew widespread condemnation, particularly in Arab nations. Huckabee later denied making the statement as reported, claiming that Carlson selectively edited his comments and misrepresented his views. He emphasized that his full response had not been included in the broadcast, calling the omission "sad."
Huckabee's controversial remarks were made during a discussion about Israel's territorial boundaries, which he argued are biblically defined between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt. This interpretation would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and parts of Saudi Arabia. While Huckabee suggested that his comments had been taken out of context, he did not fully retract them, instead describing the statement as "somewhat hyperbolic" but leaving the door open for Israeli expansionism under certain circumstances.
The international community, including Arab allies of the US, strongly condemned Huckabee's comments. Rights advocates warned that failing to address his remarks would be seen as a
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/22/2026