October  2024

Israeli Minister of finance and leader of National Zionism, Bezalel Smotrich, speaks to the press during a party meeting in Jerusalem on February 5, 2024 [Amir Levy/Getty Images]

Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has acknowledged his aim for an Jewish state that not only encompasses all Palestinian territories but also extends to Syria, in the latest such open statement referring to Tel Aviv’s potential pursuit of a ‘Greater Israel’ project.

In an interview for a documentary produced and aired by the French-language channel Arte, titled ‘Israel: Extremists in Power’, Smotrich stated that “I want a Jewish state… that operates according to the values of the Jewish people”.

He was then posed the question of whether Israel aims to extend its sovereignty which currently “starts at the [Mediterranean] sea and ends at the [Jordan] river”, to which he smiled and said “okay, bit by bit”.

Smotrich stated that “it is written that the future of Jerusalem is to expand to Damascus”, adding ominously “only Jerusalem, until Damascus”. The documentary then detailed the Israeli finance minister’s plan – and that of other extremist and right-wing Israelis – to have Israeli statehood extend into Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

Read: Exposing the Zionist settler-colonial mindset: A review of Holy Redemption

His comments come at a time when Israel continues to bombard Lebanon and launch its ground invasion, with many illegal Jewish settler groups advocating for Israeli forces to remain in Lebanon and settle the country. Efforts have steadily been made on that front, an example being a childrens’ book which was recently published on the Israeli occupation of Lebanon.

Although the Israeli government itself has kept the scope of its aims on defeating the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, and has not formally announced any plans to occupy Lebanon and settle Jewish immigrants on newly-conquered territory.

The views of government figures such as Smotrich, however, as well as their significant support base, increasingly ignite concerns that Tel Aviv could potentially possess the goal of expanding Israeli territory in the Middle East via conquest of surrounding Arab states.

From Scratch: ‘Greater Israel’

Comment by Truth Uncensored Afrika:  The above teaching about Israel’s future to expand to Damascus is supported by the Futurist end-time view by evangelical Christians that the Jews must take over all the land shown on the map of Greater Israel.

The following portion from the website God Questions supports the Nation of Israel taking over Damascus by reaching back to the Old Testament as their source for fulfillment of endtime prophecy for today.

“The nations that demonstrated hostility toward Israel will be punished. The Syrians have long been enemies of the Jews, and, to this day, Syria continues breathing threats against the nation of Israel. Such antagonism against God’s chosen people will not go unnoticed, and King Jesus’ judgment will be swift and certain. [See comment below]

“Again, history shows Damascus has been destroyed many times, but its final destruction may very well occur at the beginning of Jesus’ one-thousand-year rule over the earth from His throne in Jerusalem. As foretold in Psalm 2:9, our Lord will destroy His enemies: “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” At this future judgment, Damascus will be no more.”

THIS IS TOTALLY FALSE TEACHING.  GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS.

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Romans 2:29