Turkey was among 14 Arab and Muslim-majority countries that issued a joint condemnation on Sunday of remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggesting that Israel has a biblical right to a wide stretch of the Middle East.
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and longtime supporter of Israel, made the comments in an interview on conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s podcast. In the episode, released Friday, Carlson asked Huckabee about a biblical verse sometimes interpreted by some as entitling Israel to land between the Nile River in Egypt and the Euphrates River in Syria and Iraq.
“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee said. He later added that Israel was “not asking to take all of that” and called his comment “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement.”
The backlash grew on Sunday when the countries, along with three regional organizations, released a joint statement denouncing the remarks as “dangerous and inflammatory,” saying they violate the United Nations Charter and undermine efforts to ease tensions in Gaza and pursue a political path toward a broader settlement.
The statement was signed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and the State of Palestine. It was also signed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Iran also weighed in, with its foreign ministry saying on X that Huckabee’s remarks showed “American active complicity” in what it called Israel’s expansionist policies against Palestinians.
Several states had issued separate condemnations before the issuance of the joint statement.
Saudi Arabia called Huckabee’s comments “reckless” and “irresponsible.” Jordan said they were “an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region.” Kuwait said the remarks were a “flagrant violation” of international law. Oman said they threatened prospects for peace and stability.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories or other Arab lands.
The Palestinian Authority said Huckabee’s remarks contradicted US President Donald Trump’s stated rejection of Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
On Saturday, Huckabee posted two messages on X clarifying parts of the interview but did not address the biblical verse comment.
© Agence France-Presse
