Egypt seeks clarification on the political stance of 'Expanded Israel' advocated by Netanyahu

In the complex landscape of Middle Eastern politics, the future of a two-state solution and the concept of 'Greater Israel' continue to be topics of significant debate.

The current stance of the Israeli government on the two-state solution is ambiguous and lacks a clear public commitment. International calls, including from a recent UN high-level conference in July 2025, urged Israel to explicitly commit to a two-state solution with a sovereign and viable Palestinian state, halt settlement expansions, annexation plans, and settler violence. However, Israel has not publicly accepted these demands [1]. Ongoing Israeli policies, including military actions and settlement activities, are viewed by many international actors as obstructing the realization of a two-state solution [2].

Regarding 'Greater Israel', which generally refers to Israeli territorial claims beyond the 1967 borders including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the Israeli government has not officially articulated a coherent public policy explicitly endorsing this idea in recent major international forums. Nevertheless, the continuation of settlement expansions and annexation activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories suggests that some segments within Israel's political spectrum may support territorial maximalism [1].

The evolving regional context, including the role of Abraham Accords states, supports renewed diplomatic incentives for a two-state solution. However, the Israeli government's responsiveness remains cautious and non-committal [3]. The U.S. has rejected some UN-sponsored two-state conferences, complicating international consensus [4].

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the implications of 'Greater Israel', including the potential instigation of instability, rejection of the peace option in the region, and insistence on escalation. If implemented, 'Greater Israel' could potentially lead to the occupation of territories belonging to Egypt and Jordan [5].

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a proponent of the 'Greater Israel' ideology, has stated that he is on a "historic and spiritual mission" and is deeply committed to the vision of 'Greater Israel' [6]. This ideology, which encompasses territories such as East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, and the Golan Heights in Syria, is a fundamental principle of Netanyahu's Likud party, which is rooted in the Revisionist Zionist current [7].

In contrast, Israel's Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, has classified the two-state solution as "suicidal" and has attacked countries that support the creation of a Palestinian state [8]. Despite this, Lapid has announced that Israel will formally recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September [9]. However, he has also stated that the proposed borders for a Palestinian state cannot be defended [10].

As the international community largely favors a two-state resolution, the Israeli government's official position remains non-committal, with ongoing settlement and territorial policies indicating resistance to fully embracing the two-state framework or renouncing the concept broadly associated with 'Greater Israel'.

References:

[1] UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2025). Israeli settlements: Obstacles to peace. [online] Available at: https://ochaopt.org/content/israeli-settlements-obstacles-peace

[2] Human Rights Watch. (2025). Israel/Palestine: Settlements Continue to Harm Palestinians. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/07/22/israelpalestine-settlements-continue-harm-palestinians

[3] The Jerusalem Post. (2025). Opinion: The UAE-Israel Abraham Accords and the Two-State Solution. [online] Available at: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/the-uae-israel-abraham-accords-and-the-two-state-solution-680634

[4] Al Jazeera. (2025). US rejects UN-sponsored two-state conference. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/09/us-rejects-un-sponsored-two-state-conference-20259

[5] Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2025). Statement on the Israeli Prime Minister's 'Greater Israel' Ideology. [online] Available at: https://www.mfa.gov.eg/News/Statements/Pages/Statement-on-the-Israeli-Prime-Ministers-Greater-Israel-Ideology.aspx

[6] i24NEWS. (2025). Netanyahu: I'm on a historic and spiritual mission. [online] Available at: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-and-defense/article/348042196-netanyahu-im-on-a-historic-and-spiritual-mission

[7] The Times of Israel. (2025). What is 'Greater Israel' and why does it matter now? [online] Available at: https://www.timesofisrael.com/what-is-greater-israel-and-why-does-it-matter-now/

[8] Haaretz. (2025). Yair Lapid attacks countries that support Palestinian statehood. [online] Available at: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-yair-lapid-attacks-countries-that-support-palestinian-statehood-1.9478936

[9] Reuters. (2025). Israel to recognize Palestinian state in UN speech, Lapid says. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-recognize-palestinian-state-un-speech-lapid-says-2025-09-15/

[10] The Jerusalem Post. (2025). Lapid: Proposed Palestinian borders cannot be defended. [online] Available at: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-717529

Egypt seeks clarification on the political stance of 'Expanded Israel' advocated by Netanyahu