Latest news with #SharonGal
Roya News
a day ago
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israeli' host Sharon Gal hawks same ‘Greater Israel' pendants gifted to Netanyahu
'Israeli' media host Sharon Gal is now selling pendants featuring the 'Greater Israel' map he previously gifted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The gift was presented during a recent interview with 'Israeli' broadcaster i24NEWS, in which Netanyahu described himself as being on a "historic and spiritual mission" for the Jewish people and expressed a strong connection to the "vision of Greater Israel." The interview, conducted on Tuesday, occurred as his government was preparing to expand military operations into the remaining parts of Gaza. When asked if he felt a connection to the vision, Netanyahu replied, "Very much," and described his mission as spanning generations. The concept of "Greater Israel" (Eretz Yisrael HaShlema) refers to the historic or desired borders of 'Israel'. While biblical definitions vary, the term is now commonly used by 'Israelis' to include the territory of the current state of 'Israel' along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This ideology has been a foundational tenet of Netanyahu's Likud party, which traces its roots to Revisionist Zionism and its founder, Ze'ev Jabotinsky. Netanyahu has consistently opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, a stance he has reiterated publicly. Critics argue that the government's settlement expansion policy is the physical embodiment of the "Greater Israel" vision, creating 'facts on the ground' that make a viable Palestinian state impossible. Some view the ongoing war in Gaza as an accelerated attempt to implement this vision, asserting that the government's goal is 'maximum land, and minimum Arabs.'
Iraqi News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq condemns 'Greater Israel Vision'
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced on Thursday recent remarks by Israeli officials supporting the 'Greater Israel Vision,' calling them clear indications of expansionist intentions and a danger to regional security and stability. The ministry mentioned in a statement that the remarks were a clear breach of international law and the United Nations Charter, as well as an obvious threat to state sovereignty. It encouraged Arab and international players to take a bold and united stance against such practices. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry underlined that the remarks coincide with Israel's continuous aggressive tactics and atrocities against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip. In a televised interview on Tuesday evening on i24News, presenter Sharon Gal questioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he 'feels a connection' to the idea of Greater Israel. Netanyahu replied, 'Very much.' The ministry cautioned that these practices, along with political speech encouraging territorial expansion, necessitated strong steps to limit Israel's activities and put a stop to what it called an impunity policy.
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Arab countries condemn Netanyahu's 'Greater Israel' comment
Iraq has joined a growing list of Arab countries condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments voicing support for a "Greater Israel" in an i24NEWS interview on Tuesday. The Iraqi foreign ministry said the comments revealed Israel's "expansionist ambitions" and were "a clear provocation to the sovereignty of countries". Other countries to condemn the statement include Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt. Saudi Arabia expressed on Wednesday "its total rejection of the ideas and plans for colonisation and expansion adopted by the Israeli occupation authorities", and Egypt called the comments a "rejection of the option of peace in the region". On Tuesday, in an interview with journalist Sharon Gal, Netanyahu said he felt "very" connected to the prospect of a "Greater Israel".
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
‘Greater Israel' Remark Sparks Arab Anger
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reference to being on a 'historic and spiritual mission' tied to the vision of a 'Greater Israel' has drawn anger across the Arab world and sparked sharp criticism on social media, with analysts saying it was aimed at rallying his domestic base. Speaking to Israeli broadcaster i24, Netanyahu described the 'Israeli dream' as a 'mission of generations' passed down over time. 'I feel I am on a spiritual and historic mission for the Jewish people,' he said, according to The Times of Israel. During the interview, former right-wing lawmaker Sharon Gal presented Netanyahu with an amulet engraved with a map of 'Greater Israel.' Joking about Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial, Gal said: 'I'm not giving it to you, so you won't get in trouble. It's a gift for your wife, Sara.' When asked whether he felt a connection with the 'Greater Israel' vision, Netanyahu replied: 'Very much.' The gift was not shown on screen, according to a clip Netanyahu posted on X. The term 'Greater Israel' has been used since Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War to describe Israel along with East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Syria's Golan Heights. Asharq Al-Awsat sought official comment from Egypt but received no response. Social media users warned of Israel's expansionist ambitions, while Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti questioned Arab governments' silence. Egyptian media figure Nashaat al-Daihi called Netanyahu's remarks 'political suicide,' while Egyptian security expert Maj. Gen. Mohamed Abdel Wahed described them as 'the boldest ever,' reflecting 'a strategic ambition to reshape the Middle East and expand Israeli influence.' The comments also stirred anger because of claims on social media that Egypt and Jordan were named as part of 'Greater Israel' – although Netanyahu did not mention any countries in the interview. Egyptian commentator Louay al-Khatib said Netanyahu's extremism was 'beyond dispute' but denied the prime minister had explicitly included Egypt. Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakry called the remarks 'dangerous' and a revelation of Israel's 'real plan to target the whole region.' Former Egyptian deputy foreign minister Rakha Ahmed Hassan said the statement was 'serious and demands a serious response,' accusing Netanyahu of seeking to redraw the Middle East map 'under an American umbrella.' Netanyahu has previously signaled ambitions to reshape the region. At the UN General Assembly in September 2023, he held up a Middle East map that omitted the West Bank and Gaza. He repeated the gesture last year, calling one map 'paradise' and the other 'hell.' Jordanian analyst Abdel Hakim al-Qarala said Netanyahu's latest comments reflect 'the true face of the Israeli far right' and are intended to appeal to those who believe in the 'Greater Israel' dream. Egyptian strategist Khaled Okasha said Netanyahu aimed to frame the Gaza war as part of Israel's founding mission, strengthening his standing both at home and with the United States. The Arab League's statement on Netanyahu's comments called them a 'blatant violation of the sovereignty of Arab states and an attempt to undermine security and stability in the region.' The remarks, it added, 'reflect expansionist and aggressive intentions that cannot be accepted or tolerated' and also 'expose a mentality steeped in colonial delusions.'
