US ambassador causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East

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29. MaddowBlog-Huckabee's Israel comments spark controversy, adding to Trump's ambassadorial woes

In recent days, we’ve received multiple reminders: Donald Trump’s diplomats could stand to be more diplomatic.

Three U.S. ambassadors sparked three international incidents over the course of a week:
- Ambassador to Belgium Bill White
- Ambassador to France Charles Kushner
- Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee

But Huckabee’s controversy is clearly generating the biggest backlash.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-23T21:49:32.679Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/huckabees-israel-comments-spark-controversy-adding-to-trumps-ambassadorial-woes

But in between developments in Brussels and Paris, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sparked an even more serious controversy. The New York Times reported:

Remarks by Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, prompted a storm of condemnation from Arab leaders over the weekend after he suggested that it ‘would be fine’ if Israel took lands stretching across the Middle East from Egypt to Iraq.

Mr. Huckabee, an evangelical Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel, made the comments during a two-hour interview with the provocative right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, which aired on Friday.

To put it mildly, many in the region were not impressed. Politico reported that the backlash included public criticism from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comment as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable,” while Egypt’s foreign ministry called the remark a “blatant violation” of international law. The League of Arab States added, “Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions.”

Over the weekend, Huckabee tried to walk back his comments, insisting that he was taken out of context. In the same interview, the ambassador, who previously served as governor of Arkansas, said Israel isn’t trying to “take all of that,” though he added, “They are asking to at least take the land that they now occupy, they now live in, they now own legitimately, and it is a safe haven for them.”