MIDDLE EASTERN countries erupted in condemnation of the US ambassador in Tel Aviv over the weekend after he claimed Tel Aviv had a right to much of the region.

Mike Huckabee was on US rightwinger Tucker Carlson’s show on Friday. Mr Carlson pointed to biblical claims that the descendants of Abraham would receive land between the Euphrates and Nile — currently occupied by modern-day Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Asked if Israel should receive the land, Mr Huckabee said: “It would be fine if they took it all,” before claiming that Israel was not trying to expand its territory.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comments as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable,” and called for the State Department to clarify its position on them.

Egypt’s foreign ministry called his comments a “blatant violation” of international law, adding that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands.”

“Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions,” the League of Arab States said.

A US Embassy spokesperson said yesterday that the comments were taken out of context and that there is no change to US policies on Israel.

Israel has encroached on more land since the start of its invasion of Gaza in 2023.

Under the current ceasefire, Israel withdrew troops to a buffer zone but still controls more than half the territory.

Israel seized control of a demilitarised zone in Syria after the toppling of Bashar Assad at the end of 2024, and it still occupies five hilltop posts on Lebanese territory following the war in 2024.