Anti-Israel media figure Tucker Carlson is facing fresh criticism after claiming he and his staff were “detained” by Israeli authorities during a brief visit to the country, a trip that ended almost as soon as it began and raised further questions about his intentions and credibility.

Carlson flew into Tel Aviv on Wednesday for a filmed interview with Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel and a longtime acquaintance, following a public dispute over Carlson’s claims that Israel mistreats Christians. The visit came after Huckabee challenged Carlson to raise his concerns directly rather than through online commentary.

Instead of traveling beyond Ben Gurion Airport, Carlson remained inside the airport complex for several hours before departing. He later told the Daily Mail that Israeli officials confiscated his passport and questioned his staff.

“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.”

U.S. Embassy officials in Israel disputed Carlson’s account, saying he was not detained and received standard passport control screening given to countless visitors.

“It is not accurate that Israel only was going to let Tucker into the country for the interview,” an embassy spokesperson said. “Tucker received the same positive treatment of any visitors to Israel.”

The spokesperson added that Carlson himself chose to limit his stay to a few hours.

The conflicting accounts have fueled accusations that Carlson exaggerated routine security procedures to portray himself as a victim and reinforce his long-running narrative that Israel and its supporters suppress dissenting voices.

Carlson, who has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, posted a photo earlier in the day from outside the airport reading, “Greetings from Israel.” Within hours, he was back on a plane.

Former U.S. ambassador David Friedman openly mocked the episode.

“Too bad Tucker stayed in the airport in the face of so many invitations to see so many wonderful places,” Friedman wrote. “A huge and obviously intentional missed opportunity.”

Two sources familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail that Israeli officials were initially reluctant to admit Carlson, but ultimately allowed the visit to avoid a diplomatic incident. Israeli television Channel 13 reported that blocking his entry outright was deemed politically risky.

Former Fox News anchor Melissa Francis said Trump has privately urged Carlson to dial back the rhetoric.

“Everybody’s looking for a way to turn down the temperature,” Francis told The Jerusalem Post. “President Trump is telling everyone, including Tucker, ‘Let’s take this down.’”

Instead, Carlson’s brief airport appearance, followed by dramatic claims that were contradicted by officials, has reinforced perceptions that he is more interested in spectacle than substance.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)