In a nearly three-hour interview filmed at Ben Gurion Airport, Tucker Carlson questioned U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee about Christian Zionism and biblical claims to territory. Huckabee said it would be “fine” for Israel to “take it all” when pressed about land described in Genesis, remarks that drew condemnation from Arab governments and fueled a broader debate over U.S. support for Israel and the Gaza war.
A wide-ranging, nearly three-hour interview between conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee was filmed at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and released online in February.
In the conversation, Carlson repeatedly pressed Huckabee—an evangelical Christian and longtime supporter of Israel—on what he described as “Christian Zionism” and on passages in the Book of Genesis that refer to land promised to Abraham’s descendants “from the river (or wadi) of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.” Carlson argued that, on a modern map, that description could cover far more than Israel and the Palestinian territories, including parts of multiple neighboring countries.
Huckabee initially responded cautiously, saying he was “not sure” the biblical description “would go that far,” but agreed it could encompass “a big piece of land.” When Carlson then asked whether Israel would have a right to that territory, Huckabee said: “It would be fine if they took it all.” In the same exchange, Huckabee added that he did not believe Israel was seeking such an outcome, saying Israelis “don’t want to take it over” and “they’re not asking to take it over.”
The remarks prompted a diplomatic backlash. The Washington Post reported that Arab leaders condemned the comments as violating diplomatic norms, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the foreign ministers of 14 Arab and Muslim governments issued a joint statement criticizing Huckabee’s suggestion as dangerous and inflammatory.
The sit-down was filmed at Ben Gurion Airport rather than at a more conventional venue. Separate reporting from The Jerusalem Post and others said Carlson remained in the airport complex and did not travel beyond it during his brief visit.
The interview also touched on the war in Gaza and the toll on journalists. Carlson raised the high number of journalists killed since the war began in October 2023—figures that vary by organization, with some press-freedom and advocacy groups putting the number above 200. The Associated Press has reported that more than 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the war, while other groups have published differing estimates.
Carlson’s trip and its logistics became part of the public dispute surrounding the interview. Carlson claimed he experienced unusual treatment by Israeli authorities at the airport, but Israel’s Airports Authority and Huckabee said he underwent routine screening and was not detained, delayed or interrogated. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also publicly mocked Carlson’s account, calling him a “phony.”
The episode underscored widening strains in right-wing U.S. politics over Israel, as Carlson has increasingly criticized U.S. policy toward the Israeli government while Huckabee has defended a more traditional pro-Israel position rooted in evangelical support and biblical interpretation.
