A fiery face to face debate in Israel between former Arkansas governor and U.S. ambassador nominee Mike Huckabee and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson erupted after Huckabee directly confronted Carlson over what he called a “reckless and false” claim that the IDF killed a young Palestinian boy.

During the exchange, Huckabee accused Carlson of platforming Anthony Aguilar and amplifying an allegation that Israeli forces deliberately murdered a child. Huckabee stated that the story had already been challenged and contradicted by available evidence, and he pressed Carlson on why he aired the accusation without further verification.

“You put it out there as fact,” Huckabee said, arguing that repeating unverified claims about the IDF fuels anti Israel sentiment globally.

According to those in attendance, when presented with counter evidence disputing the narrative, Carlson became visibly agitated and pushed back forcefully, questioning the sourcing and dismissing the rebuttal. The moment quickly became the focal point of the debate.

FULL DEBATE BELOW:

Critics of Carlson argue that the segment exposed what they describe as a pattern of sensational claims about Israel without adequate fact checking. Supporters of Huckabee said the confrontation highlighted the importance of verifying battlefield allegations before broadcasting them to millions.

Carlson has denied knowingly spreading false information and has framed his coverage as questioning official narratives rather than attacking Israel. However, the debate intensified scrutiny over his decision to rely heavily on Aguilar’s account.

Some critics have even speculated about Carlson’s motives, alleging that foreign interests such as Qatar seek to influence Western discourse about Israel. There is no public evidence confirming that Carlson has received funding from the Qatari government, and he has not publicly acknowledged any such arrangement.