DUBAI: Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid has said he supports Israeli territorial expansion “as broad as possible,” including areas extending toward Iraq, describing the idea as rooted in Zionist and biblical principles.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Lapid said he backed any policy that would secure what he described as a “large, broad, strong land” for Jews and future generations.
“Zionism is based on the Bible,” Lapid was quoted as saying, adding that what he described as the biblical borders of the land of Israel form the foundation of his views on territorial claims.
He said, however, that Israeli security and policy considerations could affect the feasibility of such ambitions, without providing further details.
Lapid’s remarks followed recent controversy surrounding comments by the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who suggested in an interview with Tucker Carlson that it would be acceptable for Israel to exercise control over large parts of the Middle East.
Responding to a question about biblical descriptions of territory stretching from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the Nile River in Egypt, Huckabee said “it would be fine if they (Israel) took it all,” a statement that drew criticism from several regional governments.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry described the comments as “extremist rhetoric” and called on Washington to clarify its position.
A spokesperson for the US Embassy later said the ambassador’s remarks had been taken out of context and did not represent a change in official US policy toward Israel.
