Jeddah: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League have denounced comments made by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, cautioning that his statements regarding Israeli expansion in the Middle East pose a risk to regional security and stability and could incite religious and national tensions.
According to Anadolu Agency, Huckabee asserted that Israel possesses a biblical entitlement to the land extending from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers. During a podcast released on Friday, Huckabee stated, “It would be fine if they (Israel) took it all.” His comments were made in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, where he defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and supported the notion of ‘divine providence’ granting Israel control of the region.
Huckabee’s claims of Israel’s divine right to expansive territories in the Middle East prompted Carlson to inquire, “What land are you talking about?” Interpretations of the biblical term ‘river of Egypt’ differ, with some scholars identifying it as a riverbed in the Sinai Peninsula and others as the Nile.
The OIC characterized Huckabee’s comments as ‘dangerous and irresponsible,’ declaring them an unacceptable call for Israel’s expansion and the seizure of additional Palestinian and Arab lands. The organization emphasized that these claims are based on “a false and rejected historical and ideological narrative” that contravenes state sovereignty, diplomatic norms, international law, UN resolutions, and the UN Charter.
The OIC warned that such extremist rhetoric could exacerbate extremism and embolden Israeli policies focused on displacement, settlement expansion, and annexation attempts on occupied Palestinian territories. These actions, the organization stated, “threaten security and stability in the entire region.”
The bloc reaffirmed its steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Additionally, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the Arab League, criticized Huckabee’s assertions, labeling them contrary to basic diplomatic principles and norms. In a statement on US social media platform X, Aboul Gheit noted that the remarks contradict official US policies and appear to target right-wing audiences in Israel. He cautioned that such extremist statements, which lack legal or political foundation, “inflame religious and national sentiments” amid ongoing efforts to explore a Gaza peace agreement and initiate a serious political process.
Huckabee, who was appointed US ambassador to Israel in April 2025, is an evangelical Christian who has previously spoken about expansionist claims based on a ‘divine right’ for Israel in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with news channel i24 last August, expressed his strong attachment to the vision of a Greater Israel, describing it as part of a historic and spiritual mission.
The term Greater Israel in Israeli politics typically refers to the expansion of Israel’s territory to include the West Bank, Gaza, and Syria’s Golan Heights, with some interpretations also considering Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and parts of Jordan.