Latest news with #GreaterIsrael
Roya News
33 minutes ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Why ‘Israel' has no constitution or defined borders
In a rare case among modern states, 'Israel' does not have a single, written constitution. This absence is not a coincidence but rather the result of deep ideological disputes dating back to its founding. Closely tied to this is another unresolved issue: the lack of officially defined borders. The constitutional dilemma: religion vs. state When 'Israel' was established in 1948, its leaders faced a fundamental dispute over the identity and character of the state, preventing the drafting of a unified constitution. According to historians and legal analysts, the debate split into two main camps: The religious bloc – Led by religious parties, which argued that the Torah and Jewish law (Halakha) serve as the eternal and supreme constitution of the Jewish people. Any man-made constitution, they believed, would be inferior and potentially conflict with religious law. The secular bloc – Represented by figures such as David Ben-Gurion, who envisioned a modern democratic constitution similar to those in the West. However, he realized that enforcing such a framework could cause a deep societal rift in the newly formed state. To avoid this crisis, the Knesset adopted the Harari Resolution of 1950, which postponed the drafting of a full constitution. Instead, 'Israel' would legislate 'Basic Laws,' to be compiled into a constitution at a later stage. To this day, that stage has never arrived. Instead, the Basic Laws function as an unofficial constitution, with the Supreme Court granting them constitutional authority to review legislation. Borders never drawn: a deliberate 'strategic ambiguity' The absence of a constitution means 'Israel' has no codified borders. But this gap is not only a byproduct, it is also a deliberate policy. Historical records show that David Ben-Gurion refused to declare fixed borders in 1948, leaving room for future expansion. This approach, often described as 'strategic ambiguity,' enabled 'Israel' to seize and occupy more territory without being legally bound to specific boundaries. Several territorial frameworks have emerged over time, but none have been adopted as 'Israel's' final, official borders: UN Partition Plan (1947): Resolution 181 recommended dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab states with clear boundaries. While the Jewish Agency accepted the plan, the ensuing war altered the territorial reality. The Green Line (1949–1967): Armistice lines established after the 1948 war, which the international community still recognizes as the basis for a two-state solution. However, 'Israel' has refused to recognize them as permanent international borders, treating them instead as temporary ceasefire lines. The 'Greater Israel' ideology as a barrier The challenge of finalizing borders is further complicated by the influence of the 'Greater Israel' doctrine, particularly within the Likud party and the religious-nationalist movement. This ideology, rooted in extreme biblical interpretations, envisions a state stretching 'from the Nile to the Euphrates,' encompassing all of historic Palestine and parts of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. Such expansionist thinking makes it politically impossible for right-wing governments to accept fixed borders - especially the 1967 lines - as that would be viewed as surrendering so-called 'biblical land.' This was evident in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent statements and the map he displayed at the UN in 2023, which erased Palestine entirely. Two sides of the same coin The absence of both a constitution and fixed borders reflects unresolved foundational conflicts within 'Israel': between religion and secularism, between a nation-state with defined limits and the expansionist ambitions of "Greater Israel."
LBCI
2 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Jordan PM reaffirms support for Lebanon, stands by its sovereignty and prosperity
Jordan's Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Tuesday reaffirmed his country's steadfast support for Lebanon, pledging to stand by its sovereignty, security, stability, and prosperity, and to back efforts to strengthen state authority across Lebanese territory. Speaking after talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Hassan said, "The reality does not point to the illusion of Greater Israel but to an Israel that is isolated, rejected, besieged and fought against because of the policies of extremism and brutality it pursues." He added that the region faces two competing projects: one aimed at consolidating state sovereignty, stability, and empowering people to work toward prosperity and resilience; and another that seeks to perpetuate conflict, expand wars, and deepen hatred.
The Star
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Malaysia to use all international platforms to champion Palestinian rights, says Tok Mat
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will utilise every international platform available to ensure that the voices and rights of the Palestinian people continue to be heard on the global stage, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The Foreign Minister said these platforms include the United Nations (UN), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Asean, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), G20 and BRICS. Mohamad said this effort was crucial in strengthening Palestine's struggle for independence and securing ongoing international recognition of its aspirations. 'Malaysia will continue to speak up, act and contribute within our capacity. We strongly condemn the Israeli Cabinet's recent decision to take full control of Gaza, which is a deliberate attempt at colonisation,' he told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Aug 19). The minister added that Malaysia had strongly denounced the Zionist regime's agenda of expanding illegal settlements under the 'Greater Israel' plan, including construction in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim in the occupied Palestinian territories. 'These are unlawful acts that clearly violate international law and UN resolutions. They undermine Palestinian sovereignty and render the two-state solution impossible to achieve,' Mohamad said. He stressed that the atrocities committed amounted to crimes against humanity, breaching multiple international laws and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. 'These acts include genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, destruction of public infrastructure, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement,' he said. Mohamad reiterated that Malaysia's support for Palestine was anchored on principles of justice, human rights and the right of Palestinians to self-determination, to return to their homeland and to establish a sovereign state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and for Palestine to be recognised as a full UN member. To date, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, including journalists, women, children, humanitarian workers and volunteers delivering aid, he said. Mohamad also highlighted Malaysia's close cooperation with countries such as Egypt and Jordan, as well as with international NGOs, through airdrop missions and an 'air bridge' to ensure that humanitarian aid reached those in need in Gaza despite numerous challenges.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
How Netanyahu risks making ‘Greater Israel' the new Iran: ‘a rogue, destabilising state'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's open endorsement of a maximalist 'Greater Israel' vision has unsettled the Arab world, with analysts warning it could mark a turning point in the region's balance of power. Long seen by Washington and the West as a counterweight to Iran , observers say Israel now risks eclipsing its arch-rival as the Middle East's most destabilising force. The idea of a Greater Israel has circulated for decades on the Israeli far-right. Its imagined boundaries are debated, but all versions involve annexing the Palestinian territories and seizing some land from neighbouring states: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. More extreme interpretations extend the map even further, encompassing parts of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. In an interview broadcast last Tuesday, Netanyahu declared he was on a 'historic and spiritual mission' and felt 'very much' connected to this expansionist vision of Israel. He also accepted a symbolic amulet from interviewer Sharon Gal, a former right‑wing member of the Israeli Knesset, reportedly engraved with one of the more expansive maps of Greater Israel. A social media post by Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry reacting to Netanyahu's 'Greater Israel' comments. Photo: X/KSAmofaEN
Al Mayadeen
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Egypt demands clarification over Netanyahu's 'Greater Israel' vision
Egypt's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsing the so-called 'Greater Israel' vision. The ministry described the remarks as a rejection of the "peace process" and demanded formal clarifications from Tel Aviv. In a statement issued Wednesday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Cairo's commitment to regional peace and security, warning that Netanyahu's statements fuel instability and contradict international efforts to resolve the region's ongoing conflicts. Netanyahu's comments were made during an August 12 interview with Israeli broadcaster i24News, where he expressed strong support for a territorial vision of 'Greater Israel'. Wanted war criminal Israeli PM Netanyahu says he feels 'very' connected to the vision of a 'Greater Israel' — a plan for Israel's conquest of the Middle East that envisions the apartheid state expanding into occupied Palestinian territories as well as parts of Egypt, Jordan,… Knesset member Sharon Gal presented him with an amulet depicting a map of "the Promised Land," which includes not only occupied Palestinian territories, but also parts of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Netanyahu said he felt "very much" connected to this map, calling his mission "historic and spiritual". This is not the first time Netanyahu has used maps to promote expansionist narratives. In 2023 and 2024, he displayed controversial maps at the UN General Assembly excluding any Palestinian state, while portraying extended Israeli borders. Critics have said these presentations erase the two-state solution and elevate a vision of regional a key mediator in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, views Netanyahu's remarks as harmful to ongoing diplomatic efforts. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has been actively engaged in talks alongside Qatar and the US to reach a truce and facilitate prisoner exchanges, and Cairo warned that expansionist rhetoric during such negotiations is detrimental to regional peace. The Foreign Ministry reiterated that peace can only be achieved by ending the war on Gaza and returning to negotiations, leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Al-Quds as its capital. Netanyahu's expansionist goals sparked outrage across West Asia. Jordan condemned Netanyahu's remarks as a "dangerous provocative escalation," calling them a violation of sovereignty and international law, while Saudi Arabia rejected "expansionist projects" by the Israeli occupation, and Qatar said the statements reflect "arrogance" and inflame regional tensions. #Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation in the strongest terms possible of the statements made by the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation government regarding the so-called 'Vision of Greater Israel,' and expresses its outright… addition, the Arab League described Netanyahu's words as a threat to Arab national security and a breach of UN principles. It warned that such statements reinforce a colonial mindset and undermine peace initiatives. The idea of "Greater Israel" is rooted in early revisionist Zionism, championed by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, a forefather of Netanyahu's Likud party. It envisions an Israeli entity extending from the Nile River to the Euphrates River. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has echoed similar ideas, once displaying a map in Paris that included Jordan within "Israel". He has referred to a future where "Jerusalem expands to Damascus," putting biblical prophecy at the forefront of Israeli politics.
