"Huckabee made the comments in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would include essentially the entire Middle East, and asked Huckabee if Israel had a right to that land. Huckabee responded: "It would be fine if they took it all." Huckabee added, however, that Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it legitimately holds."
"Huckabee's comments sparked immediate backlash from neighboring Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which in separate statements called them extremist, provocative and not in line with the U.S. position. 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."
"There was no immediate comment from Israel or the United States. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has not had fully recognized borders. Its frontiers with Arab neighbors have shifted as a result of wars, annexations, ceasefires and peace agreements. During the six-day 1967 Mideast war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt and the Golan Heights from Syria."
Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said it "would be fine if they took it all" when asked about Israel's right to Biblical lands that would encompass much of the Middle East. He added that Israel was not seeking expansion and that it has a right to security in land it legitimately holds. The remarks prompted immediate condemnation from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which labeled the comments extremist, provocative and incompatible with international law. No immediate comment came from Israel or the United States. Since 1948 Israel has not had fully recognized borders, and its frontiers shifted after wars including the 1967 captures of the West Bank, east Jerusalem, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]