At a time when the world has yet to recover from the shock of the atrocities committed by the Israeli regime in Gaza—and the harrowing memory of famine and starvation inflicted on its besieged population still disturbs global public opinion—Netanyahu’s renewed statements on “Greater Israel” and the advancement of new settlement plans in the West Bank have reignited fears. These fears stem not only from the rhetoric but from the connection of this project to extreme religious interpretations and political Zionism, which envisage a territory spanning from Egypt to Iraq.
In certain readings of the Torah and Old Testament, the “Greater Israel” concept covers swathes of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, vastly expanding Israel’s current boundaries. Netanyahu has recently said he “identifies” with this vision and is working toward it. Some of his most hardline far-right ministers, such as Bezalel Smotrich, are actively pushing for its implementation.
In the 20th century, particularly after the rise of Revisionist Zionism under Vladimir Jabotinsky, the “Greater Israel” idea shifted from a purely religious concept into a political program to expand Israel’s borders. While many Jews worldwide—and even some former Israeli governments—have dismissed it as extreme, the rise of the far right in recent years has brought its practical implications into Israeli policy. In his latest remarks, Netanyahu described the idea not only as a historic ideal but as a “spiritual duty.”
E1 Project: A Case Study in Violating Laws and Resolutions
The E1 project, long frozen under international pressure, is now back on the agenda. It involves building around 3,300 housing units in the area between East Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, this would split the West Bank into northern and southern sections, destroying the territorial continuity of any future Palestinian state.
Figures from Peace Now show that in 2023 alone, over 12,300 new settler units in the West Bank were approved or began construction—a record since such data began being tracked. This trend has continued into 2024, with more than 9,000 units breaking ground in just the first half of the year.
Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories has repeatedly been declared illegal in UN documents and resolutions. Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) called for Israel’s withdrawal from territories occupied in the Six-Day War. Resolution 338 (1973) reaffirmed its immediate implementation. Most notably, Resolution 2334 (2016) stated that settlements “have no legal validity” and constitute a “flagrant violation under international law,” demanding their immediate and complete cessation, including in East Jerusalem.
Israel has ignored these resolutions and accelerated its settlement drive. The UN Commission of Inquiry’s 2023 annual report said such actions may amount to “de facto annexation,” a clear violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
A Wave of International Condemnation
The European Union, citing Resolution 2334, has called E1 a “direct threat” to the two-state solution. Germany and France warned it would make the “peace process” irreversible. In the Arab world, Jordan has called the project a red line for its national security, while Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Arab states have issued joint statements condemning it. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, described it as “an attempt at neo-colonialism.” The United States, however, has adopted a position of tacit support for the “Greater Israel” idea.
Pursuing this project risks triggering a new wave of armed resistance in the occupied territories and escalating clashes. It also undermines the credibility of the international legal order, further eroding trust in multilateral institutions and setting a dangerous precedent for other border disputes worldwide.
Tel Aviv’s insistence on pushing ahead with schemes like “Greater Israel” and projects such as E1 not only kills any hope of lasting peace but drives the region toward deeper crisis. The international community must move beyond verbal condemnation and use political, economic and legal tools to halt this course. Otherwise, what now appears to be an expansionist plan could soon ignite a full-scale crisis with global repercussions.
With direct U.S. backing, the Israeli regime is working to reshape the region’s geopolitics—both through calculated interference in the border areas of distant states and through settlement expansion to extend its geographic reach. Yet the realities of the balance of power in West Asia are unlikely to allow such ambitions to materialize easily. In addition to growing global public anger—mounting daily against the regime—states across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America have expressed their rejection of this aggressive plan. Leading international organizations have also joined the chorus of opposition. Collectively, these realities render the implementation of this “Greater Israel” illusion little more than an unattainable fantasy.
NOURNEWS