It is now evident that the rhetoric regarding the "Iranian threat" is being used as a pretext for a broader geopolitical realignment of the Middle East in favor of Israel, with the support of the United States. Those promoting an attack against Iran claim that the objective is Israeli security against a "radical Shia axis." However, the reality is entirely different and is not being hidden. Benjamin Netanyahu himself and the US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, in a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, commented on the concept of "Greater Israel" (from the Nile to the Euphrates), sparking reactions across Muslim nations.
The power of the Shia axis
Supporters of an attack on Iran insist that their primary goal is to ensure the security of Israel and the Middle East as a whole, eliminating the formidable threat posed by a "radical Shia axis" led by "frenzied mullahs determined to acquire a nuclear bomb." This position has been promoted, including by Benjamin Netanyahu himself, for decades, but it has convinced few outside certain American and European circles. The fear of an "Iranian threat" is ineffective—and the impending US attack causes only fear and anxiety among Iran's neighbors. This is not only due to the consequences of an attack on the Islamic Republic but also because the sacrifice of Iran would open the door to a complete reorganization of the entire Middle East.
What Israel wants
Is this in the interest of the United States? No, it is in the interest of Israel, but at the hands of the Americans, or more specifically, the so-called Christian Zionists, who constitute the most powerful part of the American elite. They seek to eliminate Iran and then deal with the rest of the region in such a way as to secure Israel's notorious "biblical borders." But is this merely "dirty anti-Semitic propaganda"—is Israel simply defending itself from the endless threats of "Muslim extremists" who invent myths about "Jewish expansion" to justify themselves? And all the bombings of Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, not to mention Gaza and the expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank—is it all just self-defense? It is no coincidence that the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, caused a massive scandal in the Middle East during his interview with Tucker Carlson.
The role of Tucker Carlson
Tucker Carlson, who opposes aggression against Iran and criticizes Netanyahu, asked the ambassador if he agrees with the concept of "Greater Israel"—the idea that, according to the biblical Book of Genesis, God gave Abraham and his descendants land from the Nile to the Euphrates. Huckabee replied that "it would be fine if they took it all." It would be a large expanse of land, he continued, but "they aren't asking to go back and take it all back. They are asking at least to take the land they currently occupy, which they live on legally, which they own legally, and which for them is a safe haven to protect their people." Although Huckabee later dismissed this as an exaggeration, a terrible scandal erupted.
Outrage in the Muslim world
Nearly 14 Muslim countries strongly condemned the statements of the US Ambassador, which "legitimized the control of other countries' territories." A joint statement specifically noted that the ambassador's words directly contradicted the vision of Donald Trump and his plan for Gaza. Of course, Washington did not underestimate Huckabee at all, because many Evangelicals (a branch of Protestantism) are "Christian Zionists" and firmly believe that Jews have a right to the lands from the Nile to the Euphrates. Is this a religious belief? Combined with American military power and full support for Israel, it becomes a crucial factor in global politics—and this is no longer just genuine religious fanaticism, but a real geopolitical concept.
Who "Greater Israel" threatens
A "Greater Israel" can only be built upon the ruins of the Middle East. Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are located, in whole or in part, in the region from the Nile to the Euphrates. This may seem like madness, but we should not forget that less than a hundred years ago, the plan to establish a Jewish state on Palestinian lands seemed crazy. Yet it was imposed on the local Arabs by the British occupation authorities under the pretext of a "homeland for the Jewish people."
Expansionist ambitions
It even expanded its territory—at the expense of those same Palestinians. And subsequently at the expense of Egyptian and Syrian lands—some of which, like the Sinai, were later returned, but the Golan Heights were annexed. In other words, the territory under Israeli control is constantly expanding: in the last two years alone, it has occupied parts of Lebanon and Syria. Tel Aviv does not have the strength or the conditions for large-scale expansion, but what happens if Iran truly falls? The entire region will be upended, a new transformation will begin—and Israel will have new opportunities. This is roughly how many in the Israeli leadership think, supporting it with very specific plans.
It is no coincidence that Netanyahu on Sunday, ahead of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel, discussed the need to form a new multilateral alliance within and around the Middle East. "In the long run, as I see it, we will create an entire system—a kind of hexagon of alliances around or within the Middle East, including India, Arab countries, African states, Mediterranean countries (Greece and Cyprus), as well as Asian countries," he said.
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