Cairo, Egypt: Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, has condemned United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s, reported remarks about the “acceptability” of Israel’s control over the Middle East and Arab territories, describing them as a dangerous deviation from international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and as an incitement to entrench occupation and legitimise policies of annexation by force.
In a statement, Al Yamahi stressed that any talk of control over the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a flagrant violation of international legitimacy and undermines the Palestinian people’s right to establish their independent state with Al Quds as its capital.
He called on the US Administration to clarify its position and rectify these statements, affirming that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states are a red line, and that any political cover for occupation and settlement activities is wholly unacceptable.
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister and a fervent Israel supporter, was speaking on the podcast of far-right commentator and Israel critic Tucker Carlson.
In an episode released Friday, Carlson pushed Huckabee on the meaning of a biblical verse sometimes interpreted as saying that Israel is entitled to the land between the river Nile in Egypt and the Euphrates in Syria and Iraq.
In response, Huckabee said: “It would be fine if they took it all.”
When pressed, however, he continued that Israel was “not asking to take all of that”, adding: “It was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement.”
Iran joined the chorus with its foreign ministry accusing Huckabee on X of revealing “American active complicity” in what it called Israel’s “expansionist wars of aggression” against Palestinians.
Earlier, several Arab states had issued unilateral condemnations.
Saudi Arabia described the ambassador’s words as “reckless” and “irresponsible”, while Jordan said it was “an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region”.
Kuwait decried what it called a “flagrant violation of the principles of international law”, while Oman said the comments “threatened the prospects for peace” and stability in the region.
Egypt’s foreign ministry reaffirmed “that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or any other Arab lands”.
The Palestinian Authority said on X that Huckabee’s words “contradict US President Donald Trump’s rejection of rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank”.
