UAE, Oman denounce Netanyahu statements on 'Greater Israel'
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The UAE and Oman condemn Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ remarks, calling them extremist and a threat to regional peace, urging an end to expansionist plans.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the US Independence Day reception, known as the annual "Fourth of July" celebration, hosted by Newsmax, in occupied al-Quds on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. (AP)
The United Arab Emirates and Oman on Thursday condemned recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he expressed his commitment to the vision of a so-called “Greater Israel.”
UAE Presidential Advisor Anwar Gargash described Netanyahu’s words as “extremist and arrogant rhetoric that the region and its peoples have long paid the price for.” Writing on X, Gargash asked, “What kind of provocation is this? What benefit can come from such incitement? How long will extremism and extremists control the region’s future through a discourse of exclusion and marginalization?”
تصريحات رئيس الوزراء الإسرائيلي بنيامين نتنياهو حول “إسرائيل الكبرى” تمثل خطاباً متطرفاً وعنجهيّاً طالما دفعت المنطقة وشعوبها ثمنه. فأي استفزاز هذا؟ وأي مصلحة تُرتجى من هذا الخطاب التحريضي؟ وإلى متى سيتحكم التطرف والمتطرفون بمستقبل المنطقة عبر خطاب الإلغاء والتهميش؟ https://t.co/FFX7trrRJe
— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) August 14, 2025
In a separate statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it strongly condemned and rejected Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. It urged Israeli government hardliners to “refrain from making provocative statements or taking inciting actions” and called for an end to all settlement and expansion plans that threaten regional stability and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence.
UAE aiding 'Israel'?
Recently, the US Embassy and several other Western governments have warned their citizens of potential "attacks" targeting locations in the UAE associated with "Israel", urging travelers to remain vigilant.
In a statement released on Friday, the US Embassy and Consulate in the United Arab Emirates said it was “aware of information indicating threats toward the Jewish and Israeli communities” and advised citizens to avoid such locations.
The UK’s Foreign Office issued a similar travel warning, stating that "terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in the UAE." Additionally, Canada issued its alert on August 6, followed by Australia on August 9, both citing similar security concerns.
These warnings follow a July 31 advisory from "Israel’s" National Security Council, which urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the UAE and reconsider visiting the country. The council linked the threat to Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and the Palestinian movement Hamas, alongside other groups, citing alleged “heightened motivation to exact revenge” for Israeli military actions in Iran and the ongoing war on Gaza.
Oman’s Grand Mufti warns of historical ambitions
Oman’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili, also denounced Netanyahu’s comments, saying the Israeli leader had “shocked the world with his project to establish a Greater Israel, a dream that has long lingered in the minds of his predecessors.”
He recalled that this ambition dates back to the 1897 Basel Congress in Switzerland, which produced the so-called “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” and envisioned global domination, including over the very countries that facilitated the creation of the Israeli entity.
The Grand Mufti urged Arab states that have aligned themselves with “Israel”, providing it with money and weapons and seeking to disarm the Islamic resistance, to reconsider their stance. “What has this loyalty returned to you?” he asked. “Were you not the first morsel the Zionist entity intends to swallow? Reflect on whether what you have given them has benefited you in any way.”
He stressed that the only salvation lies in unity, adherence to truth, and supporting the just cause they have abandoned, warning that the world must understand the dangers of the Zionist project before it is too late.
'Spiritual mission' to realize 'Greater Israel'
Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his commitment to the so-called “Greater Israel” vision, telling i24 News that he views himself as being on a “historic and spiritual mission.”
