US envoy suggests it would be ‘fine’ if Israel expands across Middle East

Al Jazeera DiplomaticNews ReportEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 20, 2026 at 11:40 PM

Part of Story

Israel’s opposition leader voices support for ‘broad’ Middle East expansion

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In February 2026, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated in an interview that he would not object to Israel expanding its territory across the Middle East, potentially from the Nile to the Euphrates River. When questioned about the biblical basis for Israel's borders, Huckabee initially said it would be "fine" if Israel "took it all," encompassing Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and parts of Saudi Arabia. He later walked back the statement, calling it "hyperbolic," but suggested that if Israel won a war against its neighbors, taking land would be acceptable. The State Department did not comment on whether Secretary of State Rubio shared Huckabee's views. Huckabee, appointed by President Trump, is a known Christian Zionist and strong supporter of Israel.

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Framing Angle

Diplomatic

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Conflict

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Sensationalism

Factual

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Key Claims (5)

AI-Extracted

The Department of State did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

factual — Al Jazeera100% confidence

It would be fine if they took it all.

quote — Mike Huckabee100% confidence

Carlson told Huckabee that the biblical verse had promised the land to the descendants of Abraham.

factual — Al Jazeera (reporting on Carlson's statement)90% confidence

Huckabee later appeared to walk back his assertion, saying that it “was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement”.

factual — Al Jazeera (reporting on Huckabee's statement)90% confidence

Mike Huckabee suggested he would not object if Israel were to take most of the Middle East.

factual — Al Jazeera (reporting on Huckabee's statement)90% confidence

Claims are automatically extracted and should be independently verified. Attribution indicates the stated source of the claim.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Department of State 30% Marco Rubio 30% Iraq 40% Lebanon 40% Egypt 40% Euphrates River 50% Nile River 50% Donald Trump 60% Tucker Carlson ×270% Middle East ×280% Mike Huckabee ×790% Israel ×790%

Keywords

israeli expansionism 90% middle east 80% mike huckabee 80% israel 80% us envoy 70% biblical borders 60% religious interpretation 50% tucker carlson 50%