The conflict in Palestine has escalated into what many now call a full-blown genocide. With thousands of Palestinian civilians—particularly women and children—killed, entire neighborhoods turned into rubble, and critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and water systems systematically destroyed, questions arise: Why is Israel doing this? Is it just politics, or is there something deeper—perhaps religious or ideological?
This article explores the historical, political, and theological roots of what some refer to as the “Greater Israel” project and the rationale behind the ongoing brutality in Palestine.
What Is the Greater Israel Project?
“Greater Israel” (Hebrew: Eretz Yisrael Hashlemah) is not just a fringe concept. It refers to a belief—held by various Zionist movements over the past century—that Israel should expand its territory far beyond the 1948 borders, encompassing land from the Nile River in Egypt to the Euphrates River in Iraq. This idea is not only territorial but ideological, deeply embedded in certain religious interpretations of Jewish scripture.
Some ultra-nationalist and religious Zionists interpret Biblical verses such as Genesis 15:18 and Numbers 34 as divine endorsements for this expansive territory. According to their belief, this land is promised by God to the Jewish people and must be reclaimed, regardless of modern geopolitical realities or the human cost.
Religious Roots or Political Justification?
Although many Jewish scholars and rabbis have dismissed the Greater Israel ideology as outdated or misinterpreted, far-right elements in Israeli politics use it to justify expansionist policies.
Religious parties like Shas and ultra-nationalist settler movements see the presence of Palestinians not just as a political inconvenience—but as an existential and theological obstacle. The idea that God promised the land solely to the Jews provides ideological fuel for policies of annexation, ethnic cleansing, and the complete denial of Palestinian statehood.
Systematic Genocide or Military Defense?
Israel claims it is acting in self-defense. However, human rights organizations—including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and several UN officials—have labeled the Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank as ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and potential genocide.
Bombing Densely Populated Civilian Areas, Including Refugee Camps
Israel’s aerial bombardments have frequently targeted some of the most densely populated places on Earth—Gaza’s refugee camps. These camps, originally built to house families displaced by the 1948 Nakba, have now turned into permanent urban ghettos where multiple generations live in overcrowded conditions.
Strikes in areas like Jabalia, Rafah, and Nuseirat have leveled entire housing blocks. Civilians, including children sleeping in their beds or women preparing meals, have been crushed under rubble. Israel often claims the presence of militants in the vicinity—but fails to justify the scale of destruction or prevent mass civilian casualties. These bombings are not isolated “mistakes”—they are part of a military strategy that shows a clear disregard for civilian life.
Blockading Food, Water, Fuel, and Medicine
Since 2007, Gaza has been under a land, air, and sea blockade—turning the strip into what many call the world’s largest open-air prison. Israel controls everything that enters or exits: food, fuel, medical supplies, and construction materials.
In recent escalations, Israel has not only restricted supplies but completely cut off water pipelines, electricity lines, and border crossings. Hospitals have run out of anesthesia and antibiotics. Pregnant women give birth without proper care. Children suffer from dehydration, and cancer patients die waiting for permits to leave Gaza.
The blockade weaponizes basic survival—violating international humanitarian law and collectively punishing 2.3 million civilians for the actions of a few.
Targeting Journalists, Aid Workers, and Medics
Press freedom and humanitarian neutrality have become casualties in this war. Numerous journalists—many clearly identified as PRESS—have been killed in targeted airstrikes. International media groups like Al Jazeera, Reuters, and AFP have lost reporters in recent Israeli operations.
Ambulances have been bombed. Paramedics have been killed while trying to reach the wounded. Hospitals and UN shelters have been hit repeatedly, despite being GPS-marked and known to the IDF.
The targeting of those who document and relieve suffering appears systematic—meant to silence witnesses and obstruct evidence.
Destroying Universities, Cultural Sites, and Mosques
Beyond the physical destruction of homes, Israel has been accused of erasing Palestinian cultural, educational, and spiritual life. Universities like the Islamic University of Gaza—an academic hub—have been reduced to ruins. Schools run by the UNRWA have been bombed, often while sheltering displaced families.
Mosques have been flattened under claims of harboring weapons, but little evidence is provided post-strike. Even cultural centers, libraries, and historical buildings have not been spared. This assault on education, worship, and heritage points to a broader intent: not just to defeat a people militarily, but to erase their identity and future.
Deliberately Displacing Communities to Expand Settlements
In the West Bank, Israel continues to displace Palestinian communities to make way for illegal settlements. Villages like Khan al-Ahmar face repeated threats of demolition. Entire Bedouin communities have been forced out of ancestral lands under the pretext of security zones or nature reserves.
Meanwhile, settlers—with military backing—seize homes, burn olive groves, and harass local residents. The goal is to create “facts on the ground”—irreversible realities that cement Israeli control and fracture any hope for a contiguous Palestinian state.
Displacement is not incidental—it’s the methodical erasure of a population.
All these actions follow a pattern—not of temporary conflict—but of calculated, long-term suppression and elimination.
Geopolitical Cover: How the World Enables It
The U.S. remains Israel’s most powerful ally, providing billions in military aid and shielding it from UN sanctions through veto power. The notion of Israel as the “only democracy in the Middle East” and a “strategic asset” has allowed Washington to look the other way.
Meanwhile, many Arab governments, despite public rhetoric, have normalized relations with Israel or remained silent—prioritizing diplomacy and trade over Palestinian lives.
This lack of accountability, coupled with unwavering international support, emboldens Israel to pursue aggressive actions without fear of consequences.
The Logic Behind the Brutality
Demographic Fear: The Threat of Palestinian Numbers
One of the unspoken driving forces behind Israel’s aggression toward Palestinians is the fear of being outnumbered. Within the territories of Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, Palestinians are projected to become a demographic majority if current trends continue. For a state that defines itself as both “Jewish” and “democratic,” this poses a contradiction.
Maintaining a Jewish majority is seen as essential to Israel’s national identity. This demographic concern leads to policies that restrict Palestinian birth rates through movement limitations, denial of healthcare, and economic hardship, while simultaneously promoting Jewish immigration and settlement expansion. Mass displacement, home demolitions, and population transfers are tactics employed to “manage” this demographic threat.
Land Acquisition: Erasing Communities to Expand Settlements
Land has always been at the heart of the conflict. The Israeli state has systematically seized Palestinian land through legal loopholes, military orders, and outright violence. This is particularly evident in the West Bank, where illegal settlements—deemed violations of international law—continue to expand.
Palestinian farmers are denied access to their own lands. Water resources are rerouted to serve Israeli settlements, and ancient olive groves are uprooted under the pretext of “security.” Entire villages are bulldozed to make way for settlers. Each inch of land gained is part of a long-term strategy to redraw the map, reduce Palestinian presence, and prevent the viability of a future Palestinian state.
Religious Zeal: The Theology of Conquest
While not all Israelis or Jews subscribe to this belief, certain far-right religious factions within Israel see the conquest of Palestine as a divine mission. They believe the land was promised exclusively to Jews by God, and that no political agreement or international law can override this “covenant.”
This religious zeal transforms the occupation from a political strategy into a sacred duty. It justifies violence as “holy war” and portrays Palestinians as intruders on sacred land. Politicians aligned with these groups often quote scripture to justify brutal crackdowns, settlement building, and refusal to negotiate with Palestinians.
Such theological justification makes the conflict harder to resolve—because for these groups, compromise is blasphemy, not diplomacy.
Political Gain: War as a Distraction and Unifier
Israeli leaders facing domestic unrest, corruption charges, or upcoming elections have historically used military escalation in Gaza or the West Bank to rally public support. Nothing unites a fragmented electorate like war.
For example, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been investigated for multiple corruption scandals and has faced massive protests within Israel. Each time his leadership is challenged internally, there’s a noticeable pattern of military operations launched in Gaza—garnering nationalist support and shifting the media narrative.
In essence, Palestinian lives become political pawns in Israeli power struggles. Military aggression is repackaged as “defense,” and each bomb dropped serves to boost approval ratings or silence dissent.
Conclusion: Genocide by Design, Not Accident
The current atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank are not isolated incidents. They are part of a long-term plan to erase Palestinian identity, culture, and presence from what is claimed as “Jewish land.” This is not just a war—it’s an erasure.
Until the international community recognizes the ideological, religious, and political foundations of Israeli expansionism—and stops enabling it—Palestinians will continue to face annihilation under the banner of divine right and national security.
