Israel’s Biblical Borders Debate Sparks Middle East Firestorm

“Israel is a land that God gave, through Abraham, to a people that he chose,” Huckabee said.

By United with Israel Staff

Comments made during a lengthy interview between U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and anti-Israel commentator Tucker Carlson, who is widely accused of antisemitism, have triggered coordinated condemnation from Arab and Islamic governments after Carlson repeatedly pressed the ambassador on biblical descriptions of Israel’s borders.

During the discussion, Carlson referenced a biblical passage describing God’s promise to Abraham of land extending “from the wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates,” arguing that such language would encompass much of today’s Middle East, including Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and parts of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

Huckabee responded that while he was unsure the borders should be interpreted so broadly, the passage reflected a longstanding religious and historical connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

“Israel is a land that God gave, through Abraham, to a people that he chose,” he said, describing it as a relationship of “a people, a place and a purpose.”

Pressed repeatedly by Carlson on whether Israel would therefore have a right to the territory described, Huckabee replied that “it would be fine if they took it all,” later clarifying that Israel has no intention of expanding into neighboring countries.

The exchange nevertheless spread rapidly across regional media, prompting diplomatic protests.

Saudi Arabia called the remarks “dangerous” and “irresponsible,” while Jordan described them as an attack on regional sovereignty.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the comments constituted a “blatant violation of international law.”

Palestinian officials accused Huckabee of endorsing claims stretching “from the Nile to the Euphrates.”

A joint declaration issued by numerous Arab and Muslim states, together with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council, expressed “strong condemnation and profound concern” over the remarks.

The statement warned that suggestions Israel could exercise control over Arab territory constitute “a flagrant violation of the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.” It added that such statements pose “a grave threat to the security and stability of the region.”

The statement added that rhetoric legitimizing control over disputed lands would “fuel tensions and constitute incitement rather than advancing peace,” while reaffirming opposition to any changes to existing territorial frameworks.

Much of the controversy stemmed from Carlson’s framing of the conversation.

The former Fox News host has frequently taken positions critical of Israel and U.S. support for the country, and during the interview he moved beyond policy debate into questioning Jewish historical legitimacy.

Carlson suggested genetic testing could determine who qualifies as a descendant of Abraham, asking whether DNA analysis should decide who has a right to live in the land.

Huckabee pushed back, emphasizing the enduring historical presence of the Jewish people in the land since biblical times.

Separate controversy followed Carlson’s departure from Israel, when Britain’s Daily Mail reported that he had been detained and interrogated at Ben Gurion Airport.

Israeli officials and the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem quickly rejected the claim, stating Carlson underwent routine questioning identical to procedures applied to many travelers and that the conversation took place privately in a VIP lounge to protect his privacy.

Neither the Israeli government nor the Trump administration issued an immediate formal response to the backlash, leaving a controversy largely driven by Carlson’s framing to reverberate across the region.