Ahead of the deadline United States President Donald Trump set for Iran last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an urgent call to the White House. He warned the president against pursuing a ceasefire with Tehran.
After the temporary truce was announced, Netanyahu was quick to clarify that the Israeli army would not stop its operations in Lebanon. Many saw in his actions his urge to ensure his own political survival by prolonging the war.
However, it is not just Netanyahu and his allies that want the US to continue the Iran war; it is also his opponents. That is because the defeat of Iran is seen by the Israeli political and security elites as a key step towards realising the project of “Greater Israel”.
“Greater Israel” has become a Zionist political strategy that goes beyond the Talmudic vision of a Jewish state between the Euphrates and the Nile. To realise it, Israel is pursuing not just the occupation of more land, but also military dominance over large swaths of the Middle East, as well as ever-expanding spheres of influence. Iran has stood in the way of all of these goals.
At the heart of the “Greater Israel” vision is territorial expansion. For decades, Israel has engaged in the colonisation of Palestinian territory it occupied in 1967, which by now is perceived as de-facto annexed. The Palestinian population there is facing a looming “transfer”.
Having secured control over Palestinian land, Israel is now seeking to expand north, east and south. Its territorial ambitions correspond to plans put forward by the World Zionist Organisation in 1919, which include parts of southern Lebanon and Syria, the left bank of the Jordan River (in today’s Jordan), and parts of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Israel has occupied and colonised Syria’s Golan Heights for nearly 60 years, and in the past two years has sought to grab more Syrian land. Expansion to the north and south of the Golan Heights would enhance access to water resources and strengthen Israel’s strategic positioning overlooking Damascus. Such presence could place the Syrian capital under sustained military pressure, potentially compelling the Syrian regime to pursue political accommodation in order to preserve stability.
Southern Lebanon is territory Israel has long sought to retain control over and has repeatedly invaded. Its army currently occupies it and has started obliterating villages to prevent the return of its inhabitants. The area is strategic not only due to its mountainous terrain but also its water resources.
Israel also desires the East Bank of the Jordan River for economic and strategic reasons. Establishing control over it would not only increase access to arable land but also provide greater strategic depth against potential eastern threats, historically associated with Iraq and Iran. Control over this area would also place key regional transit routes under Israeli influence, particularly those linking the Arabian Peninsula to the eastern Mediterranean.
United Arab Emirates Dirham Exchange Rate
