It would be ‘fine’ if Israel took over entire West Asia region, says U.S. Envoy Mike Huckabee

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee suggests Israel's expansion in West Asia is acceptable, later clarifying his comments as hyperbolic.

Israel has “historical and biblical rights” to West Asia and “it would be fine if they took it all”, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said in a newly released interview with podcaster Tucker Carlson. He later appeared to walk back on the remark, describing it as a “hyperbolic statement”.

Mr. Huckabee, a former Republican Governor of Arkansas appointed Ambassador to Israel by the Trump administration, discussed with Mr. Carlson Israel’s “biblical rights” to the land and interpretations of the Old Testament.

“This is a small population of people. They have a connection to this land, historically, biblically,” said Mr. Huckabee about the Jews. “This particular area we are talking about now, Israel, is a land that God gave through Abraham to a people that he chose. It was a people, a place, and a purpose We can look at it that way,” he said.

Mr. Carlson pressed him to explain his comment. According to Genesis, the promised land stretches from the Euphrates to the the Nile, “which will include the whole Middle East — Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, big parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” said Mr. Carlson, a conservative podcaster. “What land you are talking about? [This] is basically the entire Middle East. You are saying God gave this land to his people. What does that mean?” he asked.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” replied the Ambassador.

When Mr. Carlson asked the Envoy if he would approve of Israel expanding across the region, he said: That’s really not exactly what I’m trying to say.”