TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut traveled through the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to attend an extraordinary organisation of Islamic cooperation (OIC) meeting. Before embarking on his trip, the diplomat warned in Opiedo that Israeli expansionist ambitions pose an “existent threat” to regional nations and international peace.
In the OP-ED published in Asharq al-Awsat, Araghchi urged Islamic countries to build a united front against Gaza’s genocide and the wider attacks of the regime in West Asia. He argued that future gatherings in Jeddah must go beyond a “statement of solidarity” with the Palestinians and instead mark a turning point in mobilizing coordinated, legal and diplomatic pressures against Israel.
“This conference must become a historic test of Islamic Ummah,” he writes.
Aragut pointed out that Israel is pursuing “one of the most frightening human catastrophes of the present day” in Gaza, warning that such actions will extend well beyond the Palestinian enclaves. He cited the growth of rapid reconciliation and settler violence in the West Bank, the “Judéization” of Al-Kud, repeated strikes on Lebanon, attacks on Yemen’s infrastructure, efforts to destabilise Syria, and the recent military invasion of Iran, which killed more than 1,000 Iranians.
He said such policies were tied to public references by Israeli leaders to the so-called “Greater Israel,” a project “from the Nile to the Euphrates.”
“These do not pass the claim,” Araguchi wrote. “They are explicit declarations that violate the UN Charter and international law, threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.”
Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked outrage in the region when he declared his commitment to the vision of what is called “great Israel.” In his remarks by I24 News, Netanyahu said he felt “very obsessed” with the vision, describing it as both a “historical and spiritual mission” that Jewish generations believe in before and after he shares it. He highlighted the long-controversial expansionist outlook in the region, not only referring to Israeli occupation Palestinian territory, but also parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
The concept of Great Israel, which spread across a particular chain of Israeli political thinking, usually includes the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights of Syria. Also, some interpretations extend it to parts of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Netanyahu’s invocation of this idea was quickly condemned across Arab countries as a threat to sovereignty, peace and regional stability.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called for clarification, warning that such rhetoric “promoting instability and indicating a rejection of regional peace.” Cairo emphasized that the only viable path to advance is to end the war with Gaza, resume negotiations and establish a Palestinian state. Jordan has issued one of the strongest responsibilities, calling Netanyahu’s comments “a dangerous and provocative escalation, a threat to national sovereignty, violation of international law and the UN Charter.” Such “delusional claims” have not undermined Palestinian rights, nor will it reduce the position of Arab states.
Similarly, Palestinian authorities have accused the statement of “ignoring the legitimate rights of Palestinians” and as “dangerous provocation” that threatens the security of the region. It reaffirmed the demands of an independent Palestinian state within its boundaries in 1967, reaffirming the eastern AL-QUDS as its capital. Hamas also seized the statement, saying it “will clarify the dangers this fascist group poses to all countries and people in the region.”
Beyond Palestine and Jordan, strong criticism has emerged from Yemen, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Doha described Netanyahu’s statement as part of Israel’s “arrogant occupation policy,” while Riyadh rejected “expansionist ideas and projects” and reaffirmed the Palestinian right to independence. The Arab League has dubbed the comment “a serious threat to collective Arab national security,” but the OIC warned that such rhetoric is seeking to prolong the conflict, calling for “averting Israel’s international obligations.”