Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently declared that he is determined to establish the greater Israel, which covers not only the whole Palestinian territories, but also a large part of the Arab world, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. With this theo-political statement, Netanyahu has threatened Arab national security, the Middle Eastern regional stability and international peace and security. Netanyahu, who considers himself “on a historic and spiritual mission,” has declared that Israel aims to expand at the expense of the regional Arab states.
According to the international news, 31 Arab and Muslim states have “strongly condemned” Netanyahu’s “greater Israel” vision and his expansionist policies. These states denounced illegal occupation activities as a breach of international law. This bloc of Arab and Muslim states has warned Israel to end its genocide in Gaza and rejected the Israeli plan for the displacement of the 2 million Palestinians.
However, Israel and all its supporters know well that this condemnation, like all the previous statements made by the same group of states, will be thrown into the dustbin of history. Although there are some exceptions, such as King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in the Arab world, who took real measures to prevent Israeli expansionism, Arab leaders and Arab regimes largely remain indifferent to the Israeli atrocities and crimes against humanity in Palestine and the wider region.
When we look at the regional developments and the regional balance of power, it is relatively understandable that the Arab regimes that are largely dependent on Western countries are unable to intervene in the ongoing genocide. However, the position of Arab states seems quite complex. For example, it is not understandable that some Arab actors directly or indirectly support the genocide. Similarly, many Arab states allow Israel to use their airspace or naval routes. Many Arab states provide economic, political and military support for Tel Aviv.
Within the context of the “greater Israel” vision, Israeli officials often blatantly claim that they will take over a large part of the Arab states. It is obvious that Israeli expansionism is not and will not be limited to the Gaza Strip. Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is just used as an excuse for the Israeli aggression. As soon as Israel fully controls Gaza, it will return to the West Bank, which is already under heavy and consistent Israeli attacks. Upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that there are at least four phases in the Israeli regional expansionist plan.
In the first phase, the Zionist entity is determined to de-Palestinianize the Palestinian territories. It appears that the large Western countries have already given Israel the green light to proceed. In other words, it is a matter of time to initiate a second front of genocide in the West Bank. In the near future, we may hear news of mass killings, starvation and forced migration in the West Bank as well. The ultimate objective of Israel is not the control of the Gaza Strip or Palestine. In other words, the root cause of the problem is not Hamas, but the apartheid and expansionist regime established in Israel.
In the second phase, Israel will try to occupy the territories of other Arab states. Israeli officials claim that they will expand the territories of their state beyond Palestine. Recently, we have witnessed the new Israeli occupation attempts in Lebanon and Syria. Besides the long-time occupied Golan Heights, Israel now directly controls a large portion of the Syrian state. Furthermore, it tries to create an Israel-controlled political entity in the Druze-majority of the Suwayda region in Syria. Israel has severely curbed the power of the new Syrian government to pave the way for its further occupation and consolidate its occupation of the state.
Similarly, Israel has been trying to control the Lebanese national politics after punishing the Hezbollah movement last year. Israel recently killed most of the movement’s leadership cadres. Now, together with its Western supporters, it put pressure on the central government to force Hezbollah to disarm itself. Disarming Hezbollah will naturally decrease the Iranian influence in Lebanon, but at the same time, it will lead to an increase in the influence of Israel.
In the third phase, Israel will turn to other Arab states after completing its plans in these two Arab states. It seems that Jordan, the majority of whose population is Palestinian, will be the next target of the expansionist Israel. Israel may question the existence of the Palestinians living in the country and use this factor as an excuse for its intervention into the Jordanian domestic political system.
In the final phase, other countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iraq will become the next targets of the Israeli expansionism. Israel will try to prevent the establishment of regional peace and stability by any other political actor. Its ultimate goal is to establish the greater Israel and bring the whole region under its control. Tel Aviv’s ultimate goal is to establish a regional hegemony by achieving the "greater Israel."
In spite of the Israeli illegitimate plans, violations of international law, crimes against humanity in Palestine and attacks against Arab states, the Arab states cannot overcome the Israeli problem and threat simply by condemning Israel for all these atrocities. Arab states must take joint actions and measures against Israel’s persistent use of violence and violations of international norms.
Arab and non-Arab states of the region must unite their power, persuade the global powers and eventually deter Israel and its supporters. Regional states must meet on a common ground against the main threat of the region, the Israeli problem. They must take measures before it is too late. Otherwise, they have to wait for their tragic end – to be occupied by Israel.
