Pakistan, 13 countries condemn US envoy's remarks on Israeli expansion
Pakistan
The ministers warned that continued expansionist policies would only escalate violence and weaken prospects for peace.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan and 13 other nations have strongly condemned the comments made by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, in which he suggested he would not object to Israel expanding its control across large parts of the Middle East, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.
Huckabee made the remarks during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Friday. When questioned about Israel’s current borders, Huckabee stated that they are based on biblical references. Carlson pointed out that the cited verse referred to territory stretching from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the Nile in Egypt. In response, Huckabee said, “It would be fine if they took it all.”
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine — along with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — expressed “profound concern” over the ambassador’s remarks.
The statement described the comments as dangerous and inflammatory, saying they represent a clear violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, and pose a serious threat to regional security and stability.
It further noted that Huckabee’s remarks contradict the vision outlined by US President Donald Trump, as well as the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, both of which aim to contain escalation and create a political path toward a comprehensive settlement ensuring an independent Palestinian state.
The joint statement emphasised that efforts to legitimise control over others’ lands undermine peace initiatives, fuel tensions, and incite conflict rather than promote coexistence.
The participating countries reaffirmed that Israel holds no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or other occupied Arab lands. They reiterated their rejection of any attempts to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, opposed the expansion of settlements, and condemned any threats to the sovereignty of Arab states.
The ministers warned that continued expansionist policies would only escalate violence and weaken prospects for peace, calling for an immediate end to such statements.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state along the June 4, 1967 lines, alongside the end of occupation of all Arab territories.
