ALBAWABA- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that he sees himself on a “historic and spiritual mission” to advance the vision of a “Greater Israel”, a concept that, according to Israeli claims, encompasses the occupied Palestinian territories as well as parts of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt.
Speaking in a recent interview with channel 15, Netanyahu said he was “very attached” to the Greater Israel idea, describing his role as a “generational mission” on behalf of the Jewish people. “If you’re asking me if I have a sense of mission, historically and spiritually, the answer is yes,” he stated.
The term “Greater Israel” gained prominence after the June 1967 Six-Day War, referring to Israel and the territories it had just occupied, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights. Israel continues to occupy lands in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, and has long resisted international calls to withdraw to the 1967 borders and allow the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Last January, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a map on one of its platforms purporting to show an ancient “Jewish kingdom” that extended into parts of today’s Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt, a depiction critics say is designed to fabricate history and justify territorial expansion.
Since October 7, 2023, some Israeli leaders and military officials have spoken openly of divine or civilizational missions, claiming their army is fighting on “seven fronts” against “barbarism.”
These statements have come despite international condemnation, with the International Court of Justice and United Nations warning that ongoing Israeli assaults across multiple fronts may constitute war crimes and acts of genocide.
Analysts say such rhetoric underscores the Israeli leadership’s disregard for international law when ideological interpretations drive political and military decisions.
