Mike Huckabee invokes the Torah regarding the borders of "Israel" to seize the Middle East

SadaNews - The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, sparked widespread controversy after comments made during an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, in which he stated it would be "acceptable" for Israel to seize all of the Middle East, relying on interpretations of the Torah circulating within the Christian nationalist movement in the United States.

According to the Guardian newspaper, Carlson claimed during the conversation that "a text from the Old Testament" speaks of a divine promise to Abraham for a geographical area extending from the valley of Egypt to the Euphrates River, which he said includes large parts of Middle Eastern countries, including Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, as well as areas of Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

While Huckabee showed some reservations about the precise geographical extent - as the newspaper states - he acknowledged that it concerns "a large area of land," adding that Israel is "a land given by God to a chosen people," referencing the alleged religious dimension underlying his position.

When Carlson directly asked him if Israel had the right to acquire those lands, Huckabee replied, "It would be acceptable if they took it all," a statement seen as reflecting a clear ideological trend that transcends traditional political frameworks towards a doctrinal religious stance.

The Guardian noted that the interview took place in Israel during a visit by Carlson, which itself sparked controversy after he claimed he experienced "strange" treatment at Ben Gurion Airport, while Israeli and American officials denied this, asserting that he underwent routine security procedures.

In this context, the Israeli airport authority issued a statement denying any detention, delay, or questioning of him.

These remarks come amid notable shifts in Carlson's political stance, as he increasingly questions the level of American support for Israel, which observers claim has moved him from a significant position within the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement to a more marginal one.

In contrast, Huckabee represents a traditional conservative faction that strongly supports Israel, particularly within right-wing evangelical circles in the United States.

The controversy escalated after a response from former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who harshly criticized Carlson in a post on the "X" platform, calling him a "hypocrite" and urging not to regard him as an expert on Israeli affairs.

Meanwhile, Huckabee defended the security screening procedures in Israel, emphasizing that all travelers undergo passport checks and security questioning, as is the case in any country.

This incident reflects the increasing intertwining of religious discourse and American foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel, and highlights divisions within the American right itself concerning the nature and limits of support provided to Tel Aviv.

This occurs amid Israel's efforts to accelerate settlement and annexation of the West Bank, with the cabinet - in preliminary readings - approving decisions aimed at fundamentally altering the legal and civil reality in the West Bank, which included the repeal of the Jordanian law preventing the sale of Palestinian land to Jews, lifting confidentiality on land records, and transferring planning and construction powers in sensitive areas - particularly in Hebron - to the Israeli civil administration.

The decisions also expanded demolition and inspection powers to include areas classified as "A" and "B," under the pretext of construction violations or issues related to water and antiquities, enabling confiscation and demolition operations even in areas administratively and security-wise under Palestinian Authority control, in a legal shift described as difficult to reverse in the future.