RIYADH: Arab states and regional organizations joined Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over comments expressing support for a so-called “Greater Israel.”
In an interview with i24 News on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he is “very attached” to the vision of a “Greater Israel.”
The term is understood to refer to an expansionist concept of Israeli territory that includes East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and parts of other neighboring Arab countries.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said it completely rejected the “settlement and expansionist ideas and projects” adopted by Israeli authorities.
The ministry also said the Palestinian people had a historical and legal right to establish an independent, sovereign state on their lands, based on relevant international laws.
“The Kingdom warns the international community against the Israeli occupation’s persistence in flagrant violations that undermine the foundations of international legitimacy, blatantly violate the sovereignty of states, and threaten regional and global security and peace,” the ministry said.
Regional leaders
The Palestinian Authority echoed Saudi Arabia's condemnation of Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them a “disregard for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and a “dangerous provocation” that threatens regional security. It reaffirmed its commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the comments reflect “the occupation’s approach rooted in arrogance, fueling crises and conflicts, and blatantly infringing on the sovereignty of states.”
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said that such rhetoric contradicts regional and international aspirations for peace and stability. The ministry called for a return to negotiations, an end to the war in Gaza, and the establishment of a Palestinian state based on a two-state solution.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled Netanyahu’s statements a “dangerous and provocative escalation.” Spokesperson Sufyan Qudah said the “absurd delusions” expressed by Israeli officials will neither affect Jordan and other Arab countries nor undermine the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. He also called on the international community to act to halt incitement that threatens regional stability and international peace.
Yemen reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people, emphasizing their right to an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Yemeni Foreign Ministry urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take urgent measures to halt these violations and hold Israeli leaders accountable.
Regional bodies
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi also condemned the remarks, calling them a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law, and a blatant attack on the sovereignty and unity of Arab states. He warned that such statements pose a direct threat to regional and global stability and reaffirmed the GCC’s categorical rejection of any attempts to undermine the territorial integrity of Arab countries.
Albudaiwi urged the international community to take a firm stand against what he described as provocative declarations and to protect the region from measures that could inflame tensions and jeopardize prospects for a just and comprehensive peace.
The Arab League also denounced Netanyahu’s comments “in the strongest terms,” describing them as a dangerous disregard for the sovereignty of Arab nations and a serious threat to collective Arab security. It said the rhetoric reflected “expansionist and aggressive intentions” rooted in “colonial delusions,” and called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to confront such extremist declarations.
