US envoy's remarks on Israeli expansion stir diplomatic concerns
World
Mike Huckabee has ignited debate after saying he would not oppose Israel gaining control over vast areas of the Middle East
JERUSALEM (Web Desk) - The United States ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has ignited debate after saying he would not oppose Israel gaining control over vast areas of the Middle East, including territory stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates.
In his latest interview with a foreign media outlet, Huckabee asserted that Israel’s borders are rooted in biblical scripture.
When the host referenced a verse describing land between the Euphrates in Iraq and the Nile in Egypt, Huckabee responded, “It would be fine if they took it all.”
Although he later characterized the remark as “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement,” Huckabee maintained that if Israel were attacked, won a war, and took territory as a result, that would be “a whole other discussion.”
He also said Israel was not actively seeking to take over the region.
The idea of land extending “from the Nile to the Euphrates” is often associated with the extremist ideological concept of “Greater Israel,” envisioning a territory spanning parts of modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt.
Huckabee, an evangelical Christian and staunch pro-Israel conservative appointed by President Donald Trump, has also previously stirred controversy.
In June 2025, he said he did not believe the creation of an independent Palestinian state remained a US foreign policy objective.
The State Department later clarified he was speaking in a personal capacity.
His comments come amid ongoing international scrutiny of Israel’s policies.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end immediately.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on whether Huckabee’s remarks reflected a shift in official US policy, saying such decisions rest with the White House.
