Mike Huckabee, the United States ambassador to Israel, has drawn scrutiny after suggesting he would not oppose Israel expanding across much of the Middle East, citing what he described as the Jewish people’s biblical claim to the land.

In an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday, Huckabee was questioned about Israel’s geographic boundaries, which he has previously linked to scripture.

Carlson referenced a biblical passage describing land promised to the descendants of Abraham stretching from the Euphrates River to the Nile — a territory that would include present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and parts of Saudi Arabia.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” said Huckabee, who was appointed ambassador by US President Donald Trump last year.

When Carlson asked whether he was endorsing Israeli control over such a vast area, Huckabee responded that Israel was not seeking to seize the entire region.

He later characterised his remarks as “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement,” but added that territorial changes resulting from a defensive war would be “a whole other discussion.”

The US State Department did not respond to requests for comment on whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio shares Huckabee’s position.

International law, shaped in the aftermath of World War II, is built on the principle of territorial integrity and prohibits the acquisition of land by force.

In 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end.

Israel does not have formally declared borders and continues to occupy the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory it annexed in 1981 — a move recognised only by the United States.

Following its 2024 conflict with Hezbollah, Israel also established military positions at several points inside Lebanon.

Some Israeli leaders have openly advocated the idea of a “Greater Israel.”

In 2023, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich provoked international criticism after appearing at an event featuring a map that depicted the Palestinian territories and parts of neighbouring Arab states as Israeli land.

During the Carlson interview, Huckabee defended Israel’s legitimacy under international law while criticising global legal bodies.

He praised efforts by President Trump and Rubio to challenge the International Criminal Court and the ICJ, accusing them of acting unfairly toward Israel.

Huckabee has also faced criticism over his handling of cases involving US citizens killed or detained by Israeli forces.

Last year, he drew backlash after meeting with Jonathan Pollard, a former US navy analyst who served 30 years in prison for spying for Israel before relocating there in 2020.

Huckabee said he does not share Pollard’s views but defended the meeting, noting that it took place at the US embassy in Jerusalem following a scheduled request.

“I met with a lot of people over the course of the time I’ve been here and will meet with a lot more,” he said.