Cairo: Egypt and 13 other Arab and Muslim countries, together with key regional organizations, condemned remarks by the US ambassador to Israel as 'dangerous, inflammatory, and contrary to international law' after he expressed support for Israel's control over territories of Arab states, including the occupied West Bank.
According to State Information Service Egypt, in a podcast released on Friday, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee claimed Israel has a biblical right to take over the entire Middle East, or at least a large portion of it. In a joint statement released on Sunday, February 22, 2026, the foreign ministries of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman, together with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, expressed 'strong condemnation and profound concern' over the comments.
'The comments were dangerous and inflammatory and constituted a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter,' the statement said, warning that they pose a serious threat to regional security and stability. The ministries said the remarks contradicted the vision put forward by US President Donald Trump and ongoing efforts to advance a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza war.
They noted that the peace framework is based on de-escalation and the creation of a political horizon leading to a settlement that would establish an independent Palestinian state. The statement added that attempts to legitimize control over others' land would undermine the objectives of this plan and fuel tensions, describing the remarks as 'incitement rather than advancing peace.'
Additionally, the statement reaffirmed that Israel 'has no sovereignty whatsoever' over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or any other occupied Arab lands. It also rejected any attempt to annex the West Bank or separate it from the Gaza Strip, opposed the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territory, and dismissed any threat to the sovereignty of Arab states.
The statement warned that Israel's continued expansionist policies and unlawful measures would inflame violence and undermine prospects for peace, calling for an end to what it described as incendiary statements. It also reiterated the countries' commitment to the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent state along the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to the end of the occupation of all Arab lands.