Statements made by the US ambassador to Tel Aviv, Mike Huckabee, sparked great criticism across the Middle East, as he called for Israeli control over the entire region. During an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Huckabee expressed that an Israeli takeover of the entire region "would be a good thing," claiming that Israel has a "religious right" to control a large area of the Middle East, including Arab states. The territories identified by the American ambassador include significant areas of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, as well as parts of Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Arab countries and organizations quickly responded to Huckabee's statements, labeling them as a "dangerous provocation" that disregards international law and state sovereignty.