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| Benjamin Netanyahu displays a map of Greater Israel | Photo: Reuters |
Arab countries have expressed outrage over the Israeli government's publication of a "Greater Israel" map claiming territories in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, calling the move a clear attack on the sovereignty of these countries and a violation of international law.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry's Arabic-language X account published a map of Greater Israel on January 6. In this map, the country claims parts of Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria as its own, in addition to Palestine.
According to reports by Arab News and Anadolu Agency, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar have expressed outrage and condemnation over the publication of this map. The Arab League has also issued a statement condemning the incident.
Rejecting the so-called Greater Israel map, Saudi Arabia said in a statement on Wednesday that such extremist claims only reinforce Israel's occupation, continue to undermine the sovereignty of these countries, and violate international norms.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry has once again called on the international community to play its role in stopping Israel's illegal actions against these countries and their people. At the same time, the country emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty and borders of countries to curb the growing crisis in the region.
The UAE's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel's actions are a planned attempt to expand the country's occupation and a clear violation of existing international law.
The Arab League has strongly condemned the publication of the so-called Greater Israel map. The alliance's Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit warned in a statement that the international community's failure to confront such provocative actions and irresponsible rhetoric will increase the risk of extremism and counter-extremism on all sides.
In a statement, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that the publication of the map violates international law and that the alleged publication of the map will hinder the prospects for peace in the region, especially when the brutal war is ongoing in the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
Earlier, in March 2023, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smitrich spoke next to a larger map of Israel at an event in Paris, France. In addition, the country's far-right ministers have also been talking about formally annexing the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank to Israel.