Egypt warns ‘Greater Israel’ remarks fuel regional instability in talks with EU, France

CAIRO – 15 August 2025: Egypt has reaffirmed its rejection of recent statements promoting the so-called concept of “Greater Israel,” warning that such rhetoric—alongside other Israeli practices—fuels hatred, extremism, and instability across the region.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conveyed Egypt’s position during separate phone calls with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

Abdelatty also condemned Israel’s recent decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing them as a blatant violation of international law.

Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that he is on “a historic and spiritual mission,” expressing strong attachment to the “Greater Israel” vision.

The term “Greater Israel” is widely used to describe a religiously driven ideology among Zionist extremists, envisioning an Israeli state that extends into parts of modern-day Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Netanyahu’s remarks sparked widespread Arab condemnation, including from Egypt, which called for clarification in light of their serious implications. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that such statements reflect a rejection of the peace path and a deliberate move toward escalation.

Meanwhile, Israeli hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans to “bury” the possibility of a Palestinian state by reviving the controversial E1 settlement project in the West Bank.

The plan envisions thousands of new settler housing units that would severe the West Bank, cutting it off from East Jerusalem, and dividing any future Palestinian state in two.

The E1 project has been condemned internationally—including by Arab states, the EU, and the UK—as a flagrant breach of international law.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Israeli settlement plan “must be stopped.”

Israel’s expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories comes at a time when several countries—including in Europe—have announced plans to recognize the State of Palestine next month in an effort to revive the prospects of a two-state solution.

French President Emmanuel Macron took the initiative in July, announcing that France would recognize the Palestinian state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.

Macron stressed the importance of building a viable Palestinian state that contributes to regional security by accepting demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel.

“There is no alternative,” he declared.

Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Malta have also stated their intention to follow suit next month, with some attaching specific conditions. Portugal has announced it is considering recognition.

These moves come amid Israel’s prolonged war in Gaza, which has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians and starved to death over 200 people—half of them children—due to Israeli restrictions on aid delivery.