Israel and the map of the Middle East - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
Israel's so-called 'Greater Israel' project has long been viewed as a myth by some, and as an undeniable reality by others.
Its roots are not confined to modern political rhetoric but can be traced back to early Zionist thought, particularly in the writings of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, one of the movement's most influential ideologues. Jabotinsky did not mince his words; he openly declared that Arabs 'only understand the language of force' and that any coexistence would require overwhelming, permanent domination.
This philosophy has shaped Israeli political behaviour for decades. The idea of a 'Greater Israel' stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates has appeared in political programmes, military doctrines, slogans on soldiers' uniforms, maps on coins, and even on school maps. While today's Israeli leaders may not officially proclaim such expansionist ambitions, their actions on the ground tell another story: relentless settlement expansion, systematic displacement, and the dismantling of any possibility for a viable Palestinian state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent political manoeuvering reflects this long-standing vision. His policies are not mere reactions to security concerns but calculated steps within a larger strategy, fragmenting Palestinian society, deepening Israel's hold over the Occupied Territories, and gradually normalising the abnormal.
The normalisation agreements that have taken place between Israel and some of the Arab states are also not just about trade or diplomacy; they are tools to integrate Israel into the region without addressing the core injustice: the dispossession of the Palestinian people.
In parallel, the ongoing siege on Gaza serves as a modern day laboratory for control, surveillance, and collective punishment. Every military offensive, every blockade, every restriction is not just about weakening resistance groups; it is about reshaping the demographic and political reality to fit Israel's long term designs. The same applies to Israel's policies in the West Bank, bypass roads for settlers, military zones cutting through villages, and legal system that operates with two sets of rules depending on ethnicity.
Internationally, Israel's narrative has been fortified by a powerful media apparatus, think tanks, and lobbying networks that frame its expansionist policies as self defence. Western governments, particularly that of the United States, have often adopted this framing wholesale, shielding Israel from accountability at the United Nations and beyond. The result is a carefully managed perception: Israel as a small, besieged democracy rather than a regional power pursuing an unspoken imperial project.
The silence of Arab regimes, many of which are now partners in open or covert alliances with Tel Aviv, further enables this trajectory. These regimes have traded the Palestinian cause for economic deals, security cooperation, and diplomatic favour in Western capitals. Yet history is unkind to those who abandon principles for short term gains; the moral cost of complicity will linger long after the political dividends fade.
'Greater Israel' is not just a matter of borders; it is about domination, erasure, and the rewriting of history. The Palestinian struggle is thus not simply about resisting occupation but about confronting an ideological project that seeks to dissolve their very existence as a people.
Recognising this reality is the first step towards an honest conversation about justice, peace, and the future of the Middle East.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 21 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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