Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett criticized media personality Tucker Carlson on social media following Carlson’s claims that he and his staff were detained at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The dispute highlights differing accounts of Carlson’s brief visit to Israel for an interview with U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
Bennett wrote on social media that Carlson “landed today at Ben Gurion airport, took a quick picture in the logistics zone, tweeted it to pretend he’s actually in Israel… didn’t even step foot in the country, then made up a story that he’s being supposedly harassed by our security.” Bennett added: “Next time he talks about Israel as if he’s some expert, just remember this guy is a phony.”
Tucker Carlson is a chickenshit.
— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) February 18, 2026
The guy who’s been spouting lies about Israel for the past two years,
landed today at Ben Gurion airport,
took a quick picture in the logistics zone,
tweeted it to pretend he’s actually IN Israel (so he can later claim that he’s a serious… https://t.co/ZWZ8aY7BAG
Carlson told the Daily Mail that after the interview with Huckabee, Israeli airport officials took his passport and briefly questioned one of his colleagues. “Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” Carlson said. “It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.” Carlson also posted a photo on social media of himself and his business partner, Neil Patel, at the airport.
Huckabee, responding on social media, said that routine passport and security checks apply to all travelers entering and leaving Israel. He wrote that even he is subject to such checks with a diplomatic passport and visa. Huckabee invited Carlson to Israel after public disagreements over the country’s treatment of Christians and said the visit allowed them to discuss their differences directly.
The Israel Airports Authority said that Carlson and his team were “not detained, delayed, or interrogated.” A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Jerusalem said Carlson received standard passport control questions and that the Embassy’s only involvement was coordinating his private plane landing.
Israeli Airports Authority:
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) February 18, 2026
Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated.
Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers.
The…
The Daily Mail reported that two sources familiar with the matter said Israeli authorities initially considered restricting Carlson’s entry but ultimately allowed it to avoid a diplomatic incident. Channel 13, an Israeli media outlet, reported that the State Department was involved in facilitating the visit.
I’ve flown in and out of Israel on several occasions on private aircraft. As the former US Ambassador to Israel, almost everyone in Israel knows me (and most like me). Nonetheless, I often am briefly stopped and asked questions as a matter of Israel’s unfortunately necessary…
— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) February 18, 2026
Former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman commented on social media that Carlson’s limited time at the airport was a “missed opportunity” to engage with Israel, later adding that Carlson is ‘a whining creep’.
