US ambassador says biblical promise justifies ‘Israeli’ territorial expansion
- Tucker Carlson and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee clash over biblical land claims and modern borders of ‘Israel’.
- The exchange exposes a widening rift inside the American right over theology, foreign policy, and unconditional support for ‘Israel’.
A televised interview between conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and US Ambassador to ‘Israel’ Mike Huckabee has ignited debate across American political and religious circles, after Huckabee endorsed a literal biblical claim to vast Middle Eastern territory.
The interview aired this week following weeks of public sparring between the two men over Christian Zionism and ‘Israel’s’ treatment of Christian minorities.
Genesis at the center of the dispute
The most contentious moment focused on Genesis 15, a biblical passage describing God’s promise of land to Abraham’s descendants. Carlson questioned whether such scripture should define the borders of a modern secular state.
He cited the passage describing territory stretching “from the Euphrates to the Nile,” arguing that this would encompass most of the Middle East. Carlson asked whether the Bible should function as what he termed the “original deed” for contemporary political claims.
Huckabee: “It would be fine”
Huckabee, a Baptist minister and longtime advocate of Christian Zionism, embraced a literal interpretation. When pressed on whether the current government of ‘Israel’ has a right to that entire expanse of land, he responded bluntly: “It would be fine if they took it all.”
The remark reflects a theological worldview that sees the modern State of ‘Israel’ as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Carlson warned that grounding foreign policy in religious absolutism risks perpetual conflict and deepens the marginalization of indigenous Christian communities.
A divided American right
The exchange underscored a growing fracture within US conservative politics.
One camp, represented by Huckabee, argues that unwavering support for ‘Israel’ is both a moral duty and a biblical command. Another, aligned with Carlson’s “America First” outlook, questions why US taxpayers fund a foreign state while, he argues, Christians in the region face discrimination and displacement.
Controversy after filming
Following the interview, Carlson claimed he was detained and questioned by Israeli security officials at the airport about the content of the discussion. Israeli authorities and the US Embassy later denied the claim, saying Carlson was subject only to standard security screening procedures.
The interview has since gone viral, fueling renewed debate over religion, nationalism, and the future of US policy toward ‘Israel’ and the Middle East.
