On Saturday, Arab nations expressed outrage following remarks made by US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, during an interview on conservative journalist Tucker Carlson's podcast. Huckabee's comments implied that Israel has a biblical claim to a vast region of the Middle East, specifically the land between the Nile in Egypt and the Euphrates in Syria and Iraq. This interpretation aligns with certain religious beliefs, suggesting that the land is divinely promised to the Jewish people.

In the podcast episode released on Friday, Carlson pressed Huckabee on the implications of a biblical verse that some believe justifies Israel's territorial claims. Huckabee controversially affirmed this notion, stating that it would not be an issue if Israel were to occupy the entirety of the mentioned territory. However, when confronted on the matter, he clarified that Israel was not seeking to claim all of it, dubbing his earlier statement as “somewhat hyperbolic.” Huckabee’s comments have stirred significant backlash, with officials from several Arab countries voicing their disapproval.

The Saudi Arabian government, among others, has vehemently condemned Huckabee's remarks, viewing them as a dangerous endorsement of Israeli expansionism. This incident highlights the ongoing tension in the Middle East regarding territorial rights and religious narratives surrounding the land. It also underscores the delicate role of external actors like the United States in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as their endorsements can provoke strong reactions from Arab nations and contribute to further divisions in the region.