'Taken Out Of Context': US Defends Envoy Over Remarks On Israel's Right To West Asia Region

Last Updated:February 22, 2026, 23:09 IST

The clarification came after American Ambassador Mike Huckabee said in a recent interview that Israel had a right to much of the West Asia region.

The US on Sunday said comments made by its ambassador to Israel were “taken out of context", stressing that there has been no change in official US policy on Israel.

The clarification came after American Ambassador Mike Huckabee said in a recent interview that Israel had a right to much of the West Asia region. His remarks triggered strong reactions from several Arab and Muslim countries.

Huckabee made the comments during an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday.

Carlson referred to a Biblical passage from Genesis, saying the descendants of Abraham were promised land that today includes parts of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. He then asked Huckabee whether Israel had a right to that land.

Huckabee responded, “It would be fine if they took it all."

In the same interview, he added that Israel was not seeking to take over neighbouring countries but was focused on securing the land it currently occupies. He said Israel sees the territory it controls as a legitimate and safe homeland for its people.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy said the ambassador’s remarks had been misunderstood and insisted that Washington’s policy remains unchanged.

However, a joint statement issued by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority called the comments as “dangerous and inflammatory".

“These statements directly contradict the vision put forward by U.S. President Donald J. Trump … based on containing escalation and creating a political horizon for a comprehensive settlement that ensures the Palestinian people have their own independent state," the statement said.

Huckabee, a long-time supporter of Israel and the West Bank settlement movement, has previously opposed a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

(With inputs from agencies)

News world 'Taken Out Of Context': US Defends Envoy Over Remarks On Israel's Right To West Asia Region

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