BETHLEHEM / PNN /

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments expressing a strong attachment to a so-called “Greater Israel” have drawn a wave of condemnation from Arab and Islamic organizations and several regional governments, with critics calling the remarks expansionist, destabilizing and a breach of international law.

Palestinian Foreign Ministry slams Israeli tenders for thousands of new colonial units

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned Israel's issuance of tenders for the construction of thousands of new colonial units in and around Jerusalem and in the Ariel colony  in  the central West Bank.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Ministry said that the colonial construction in the E1 area is part of Israel's plan to undermine the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, undermine its geographic and demographic unity, and perpetuate the division of the West Bank into isolated areas, submerged in a colonial environment to facilitate its eventual annexation.

It described the tenders as an extension of the crimes of genocide, displacement, and annexation, and an echo of Netanyahu's statements regarding what he called "Greater Israel."

The Ministry affirmed it is continuing  engagement with countries, peoples, and the international community to expose the occupation's racist colonial schemes.

It called for genuine international intervention and sanctions to force the occupation to halt its plans, comply with the international consensus on resolving the Palestinian issue, halt genocide, displacement, and annexation, and enable the Palestinians to achieve their right to self-determination, and enable our state to extend its jurisdiction over the entire territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

The Arab League said Netanyahu’s statements—which critics interpret as endorsing territorial claims beyond internationally recognized borders—pose “a serious threat to Arab national security” and defy international legitimacy, urging the U.N. Security Council to confront “such extremist declarations.” 

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry rejected what it called “settlement and expansionist ideas and projects,” while Jordan denounced the remarks as a “dangerous and provocative escalation” and a threat to its sovereignty. Qatar and Egypt also joined the chorus of criticism, according to regional media reports. 

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the comments as an extension of extremism and aggression, while the Palestinian leadership said the remarks reflect “colonial delusions” and an intent to entrench occupation. 
yaffaps.com

European institutions and several EU capitals, while not all addressing the “Greater Israel” phrasing directly, have in recent days condemned Israeli expansionist steps and rhetoric that undermine prospects for a two-state solution. The EU and European governments criticised plans to take control of Gaza City and warned such moves would deepen the crisis and violate international law; senior European figures have also urged stronger accountability mechanisms for alleged violations in Gaza. 

U.N. officials likewise warned that unilateral steps and annexationist rhetoric further erode the legal framework governing the conflict and risk wider regional escalation, reiterating calls for adherence to international humanitarian law and an urgent ceasefire. 

Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Netanyahu’s remarks—made in a media interview in which he said he felt “very much” connected to a “Greater Israel” vision—landed as his government faces mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Rights groups and diplomats say recent moves, including the revival of a long-stalled settlement plan near Jerusalem, further jeopardise the viability of a future Palestinian state. 

Israeli officials did not immediately respond to the latest condemnations. In the past, Netanyahu has framed Israel’s military campaign and settlement policies as necessary for security and as advancing Jewish historic rights—positions rejected by most of the international community, which regards West Bank settlements as illegal under international law.

The flare-up over Netanyahu’s “Greater Israel” comments comes amid intensifying fighting in Gaza and renewed settlement initiatives in the West Bank. On Thursday, a senior Israeli minister advanced a plan in the sensitive E1 corridor linking Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem—long opposed by the EU and the U.S.—a move critics said would bisect the West Bank and “bury” prospects for a two-state solution.