Netanyahu vows to pursue 'historic and spiritual mission' for 'Greater Israel' plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is on a "historic and spiritual mission" and feels "very" attached to the vision of so-called ‘Greater Israel’, which includes territories earmarked for the Palestinian state and potentially parts of present-day Jordan and Egypt.

In an interview with Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS on Tuesday, conducted as his government prepares to expand its carnage into the remaining parts of Gaza, Netanyahu described his mission as one "of generations," saying: "There are generations of Jews that dreamt of coming here and generations of Jews who will come after us."

The term ‘Greater Israel’ [Eretz Yisrael HaShlema] has been used since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War to describe Israel and territories it occupied — East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and Syria’s Golan Heights.

Early Zionists such as Ze’ev Jabotinsky, ideological forerunner of Netanyahu’s Likud party, also applied it to present-day Jordan.

During the interview, former Knesset member Sharon Gal presented Netanyahu with an amulet showing ‘Greater Israel.’

Asked if he felt connected to the vision, Netanyahu responded: "Very much."

The ‘Greater Israel’ concept is a core tenet of Likud’s political tradition, rooted in Revisionist Zionism.

Netanyahu has repeatedly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, and critics say his government’s illegal settlement expansion embodies this vision, creating "facts on the ground" that make a viable Palestinian state impossible.