'Israel’s' Smotrich endorses US ambassador Huckabee amid controversial biblical claims
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'Israel’s' finance minister backs US ambassador Huckabee after controversial biblical land remarks.
'Israel’s' Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich drew attention today after publicly expressing support for US Ambassador to 'Israel' Mike Huckabee on the social media platform X.
Smotrich posted a message stating, “I love Huckabee,” in apparent endorsement of the ambassador following widespread criticism of Huckabee’s remarks regarding 'Israel’s' territorial ambitions.
Huckabee, a former Governor of Arkansas and Baptist minister, recently sparked controversy during an interview with Tucker Carlson, asserting that it would be “fine” if Israel claimed all the territory historically described in the Bible as the "Promised Land", a region stretching from Egypt’s Nile River to Iraq’s Euphrates River.
“The area God promised to Abraham’s descendants would include basically the entire Middle East,” Huckabee said, referencing Genesis 15 during the discussion. When pressed on whether Israel has a right to claim such vast territory today, Huckabee replied, “It would be fine if they took it all,” while emphasizing that the modern state is not actively pursuing those borders.
Huckabee defended his statements as grounded in religious conviction, describing Israel as “a land that God gave, through Abraham, to a people that he chose.” He characterized his comments as “somewhat hyperbolic” and reiterated that the focus of US diplomatic support remains on Israel’s security and legitimate territorial holdings.
The interview comes amid rising tensions within the Republican Party. Carlson, a vocal critic of unconditional US support for 'Israel', recently highlighted what he described as mistreatment of local Christian communities in 'Israel'.
Huckabee responded to Carlson’s reporting by challenging him to a face-to-face interview, which took place at Ben Gurion Airport.
Huckabee has also drawn attention for his consistent use of the biblical term “Judea and Samaria” instead of the internationally recognized “West Bank” and for his support of 'Israeli' sovereignty over settlements in those areas.
Smotrich’s public backing underscores the ideological alignment between certain 'Israeli' political figures and the ambassador’s outspoken "Christian Zionist" stance.
