Saudi Arabia condemns Mike Huckabee's comments in Tucker Carlson interview

Saudi Arabia on Saturday condemned a statement made by the United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to the effect that it "would be okay" if Israel took over the entire Middle East in a certain scenario.

The statement was made during a combative interview with anti-Israel firebrand Tucker Carlson, where Huckabee fended off the former Fox News anchor insinuations that the Jews' historic ties to Israel represented a hoax, and the Jewish state lacked legitimacy. 

Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would stretch from Egypt to Iraq, and asked Huckabee if Israel had a right to that territory.

Huckabee responded: “It would be fine if they took it all," adding that Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it legitimately holds. 

The comments sparked backlash from Egypt, Jordan, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States. 

The Saudi foreign ministry expressed "its strongest condemnation and complete rejection of the statements made by the United States Ambassador to Israel, in which he recklessly suggested that Israel’s control over the entire Middle East would be acceptable."