Story perspectives

Far-Right Israeli Officials Push for 'Greater Israel' Expansion

4/11/2026

Center

Israel's Expansion Debate

Historian Gil Shohat discusses "Greater Israel," a concept some far-right Israelis view as a divine promise.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, prioritized statehood over expansion and left borders undefined.
Today Israel controls nearly all former Mandatory Palestine, with over 700,000 settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other officials recently signal expansion aims, including potential claims on Jordan and southern Lebanon.

Left

Netanyahu's Settlement Expansion

The Israeli government approved 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank on April 1, the largest expansion in history.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition is accelerating annexation efforts ahead of elections.
Over 100 settlements have been approved since 2022, far outpacing the three decades after the Oslo Accords.
The settlements will be located deep inside Palestinian areas, drawing concerns from military leaders about resource strain.

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Israel's Expansion Debate

Historian Gil Shohat discusses "Greater Israel," a concept some far-right Israelis view as a divine promise.
David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, prioritized statehood over expansion and left borders undefined.
Today Israel controls nearly all former Mandatory Palestine, with over 700,000 settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other officials recently signal expansion aims, including potential claims on Jordan and southern Lebanon.

1 / 2