Cairo — The Arab League on Thursday issued a statement strongly condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent endorsement of the “Greater Israel” vision, calling it a direct threat to Arab sovereignty and a violation of international law. The remarks, made during a televised interview earlier this week, have ignited a new wave of diplomatic outrage across the Middle East.
In the interview, Netanyahu responded “very much” when presented with a map depicting an expanded Israeli state stretching beyond the occupied Palestinian territories into parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. For many in the region, the exchange served as confirmation of what they have long suspected: that Israel’s leadership remains committed to a policy of territorial expansion at the expense of Palestinian statehood.
The Arab League’s General Secretariat described the remarks as “a brazen breach of international legitimacy” and urged the UN Security Council to act immediately. In its statement, the bloc warned that such rhetoric could inflame an already volatile Middle East, where the Gaza Genocide has claimed more than 146,000 Palestinian lives since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the overwhelming majority being women and children.
Arab capitals denounce Israeli expansionist delusion
Saudi Arabia denounced the comments as “delusional” and reaffirmed its position that any lasting peace depends on the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. Egypt expressed concern over the potential impact on regional stability, while Jordan labeled the remarks “provocative” and “dangerous,” reiterating that Arabs would only support solutions endorsed by the Palestinian leadership. Qatar accused Israel of defying the UN Charter and international treaties, calling Netanyahu’s remarks “blatant aggression.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry joined the chorus, describing the “Greater Israel” vision as evidence of what it called a “diabolical” strategy to annex territory beyond Israel’s recognized borders. Iran criticizes Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ fantasy as a fascist delusion. Hamas, still engaged in fighting against Israeli forces in Gaza, condemned the comments as “madness and delirium,” and urged Arab nations to halt all normalization agreements with Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu’s rhetoric fuels settler aggression and Western complicity
Diplomats say Netanyahu’s remarks cannot be separated from recent policy moves inside Israel. Days before the interview aired, Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich approved a large-scale settlement project in the E1 corridor of the occupied West Bank, a move widely seen as an attempt to cut the territory in two and eliminate the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.
For Arab officials, the timing underscored the perception that Israel’s expansionist agenda is accelerating under Western protection, particularly from the United States, which continues to provide military aid and political cover. Critics in the region argue that the West’s silence on the Gaza Genocide, combined with its willingness to supply weapons, has emboldened Israeli leaders to push for what they see as an irreversible reshaping of the region’s borders.
Arab bloc demands global action to halt Israeli colonial ambition
Analysts warn that Netanyahu’s remarks could have long-term implications for regional diplomacy. With the War in Ukraine consuming much of the global agenda, Arab leaders fear their concerns will be sidelined. Several have called for coordinated measures, including sanctions, arms embargoes, and formal complaints to the International Court of Justice.
According to Mehr News, the Arab League urged “a united and urgent international stance” to counter what it described as extremist political goals aimed at erasing Palestinian sovereignty and destabilizing the Middle East. The statement emphasized that ignoring such rhetoric would only embolden further violations of international law.
