U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee's controversial comments, suggesting Israel has a right to much of the Middle East and that 'it would be fine if they took it all,' have drawn sharp condemnation from Arab and Muslim nations, who called the remarks extremist and a violation of international law.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, sparked widespread outrage among Arab and Muslim nations after stating that Israel has a right to much of the Middle East, adding, 'It would be fine if they took it all.' While he later clarified that Israel isn't seeking expansion but security in its legitimately held land, his initial remarks were met with immediate backlash. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry labeled them 'extremist rhetoric' and 'unacceptable,' urging the U.S. State Department to clarify its stance. Egypt called the comments a 'blatant violation' of international law, asserting Israel's lack of sovereignty over occupied Palestinian and Arab lands. The League of Arab States condemned the statements as 'extremist and lacking any sound basis,' designed to inflame sentiments. The article provides context on Israel's shifting, unrecognized borders since 1948, its territorial gains in the 1967 Mideast war, and recent actions to deepen control in the occupied West Bank. It also notes Huckabee's long-standing opposition to a two-state solution and his biblical interpretations regarding Israel's territorial claims, extending from the Nile to the Euphrates. Recent Israeli military actions in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, involving buffer zones and occupied posts, further underscore the complex territorial dynamics in the region.
