So this just happened.

"This is absolutely insane, on the first EVER attempt we have successfully caught the super heavy booster back at the launch tower..."

Truly incredible.

From the Ground:

EXPOSING EXPANSIONISM: THE GREATER ISRAEL IDEOLOGY AND ITS THREAT TO LEBANON

Introduction: The Cost of Speaking Truth

On October 9th, 2024, my voice was silenced on Twitter/X after exposing the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars funneled into Israel’s war machine. But this silence doesn’t last long. On platforms like Nostr, the truth keeps flowing—and what’s happening in Lebanon is too important to ignore.

(Feel free to add me on Nostr and send me a direct message with your feedback; see Reference #16 for my Nostr public key.)

As Israeli bombs rain down on southern Lebanon and settler organizations plot new land grabs, the Greater Israel project inches closer to reality. Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the UN General Assembly this year with a map that erased Palestine and absorbed Lebanon and Syria into Israeli territory. His far-right allies, like Bezalel Smotrich, openly talk about expanding “bit by bit,” seeing annexation as their biblical right (See Ref #1, 2, 3).

The scale of displacement is staggering. Over 608,509 people have been internally displaced since October 8, 2023, with 52% female and 48% male. As of October 2024, 180,700 people are seeking refuge in 978 collective shelters, of which 775 (80%) have already reached capacity (See Ref #5).

For decades, the ideology of Greater Israel has threatened not just the existence of Palestine but also the sovereignty of Lebanon. This paper dives deep into the roots of this expansionist vision, the political figures driving it, and the settler organizations working to colonize southern Lebanon. As Lebanon teeters on the edge, it’s time to confront the devastating consequences of Israeli expansionism.

The Greater Israel Ideology: From Prophecy to Policy

The concept of Greater Israel is rooted in biblical texts—specifically Genesis 15:18, which describes a "Promised Land" stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. Historically symbolic, modern Zionist movements transformed this spiritual idea into a territorial ambition (See Ref #4).

Early Zionism and Expansionism

Initially, Zionism under Theodor Herzl focused on establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine. However, Revisionist Zionists, led by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, pushed for a far larger state, encompassing lands beyond the 1947 UN partition plan. Jabotinsky’s vision of Greater Israel encompassed territories well beyond the Jordan River and became central to the expansionist ideologies that followed (See Ref #5).

The 1967 Six-Day War and Settlement Expansion

The Six-Day War in 1967 marked a turning point. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights, transforming the Greater Israel ideology into policy. For many religious Zionists, this military victory was seen as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, spurring the creation of settlements in the occupied territories that persist to this day (See Ref #6).

Netanyahu’s 2024 UN Speech: A Vision of Expansion

At the UN General Assembly in September 2024, Netanyahu displayed a “New Middle East” map that shocked the international community. The map portrayed Israel absorbing all of historic Palestine, erasing the West Bank and Gaza, while also extending into Lebanon and Syria. This expansionist vision drew widespread condemnation for its implications on Palestinian sovereignty and regional stability (See Ref #1, 2).

Countries Depicted in Netanyahu’s Map: A Critical Assessment

Netanyahu's map divided countries into "blessing" and "curse" zones, reflecting Israel's alliances and perceived adversaries. This portrayal has significant implications for regional dynamics and international law:

Israel: The map shows Israel expanded over all of historic Palestine and parts of Lebanon and Syria, effectively annexing these territories. This not only erases internationally recognized borders but also violates the principles of state sovereignty and self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter.

Palestine: By erasing the West Bank and Gaza from the map, Netanyahu dismisses the existence of Palestinian territories and the rights of the Palestinian people. This undermines the two-state solution endorsed by the international community and ignores numerous UN resolutions calling for the recognition of Palestinian statehood and an end to the occupation.

Lebanon and Syria: Depicting these sovereign nations as future territories under Israeli control is alarming. Israel's occupation of the Shebaa Farms in Lebanon and the Golan Heights in Syria has long been points of contention. The map's implications suggest a normalization of these occupations and an intent to further annex territories, which contravenes international law and threatens regional stability.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Jordan: Shown as potential allies, emphasizing normalization under the Abraham Accords. While these countries have engaged in diplomatic relations with Israel, the map's portrayal could strain these relationships by associating them with expansionist policies that undermine the rights of neighboring countries.

Iran, Iraq, Yemen: Depicted as threats to Israeli security, reinforcing regional divisions. Such portrayals exacerbate tensions and hinder diplomatic efforts towards peace and mutual understanding.

Netanyahu's portrayal of Greater Israel met strong resistance, particularly for its erasure of Palestinian lands and ambitions to reshape the region to Israel’s advantage. The international community has a responsibility to condemn such actions and uphold the principles of international law to prevent further escalation of conflicts in the region (See Ref #3).

Smotrich: The Advocate of Gradual Annexation

While Netanyahu broadcasted his vision globally, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, continued to push for the annexation of Lebanon, Syria, and other territories. In October 2024, Smotrich stated that Jerusalem would expand to Damascus, directly aligning his rhetoric with the Greater Israel project. His gradual approach of annexation through incremental steps—"bit by bit"—mirrors the activities of settler groups on the ground (See Ref #2, 5).

Israeli Settler Organizations Expanding into Southern Lebanon

In recent years, several Israeli settler groups have actively pursued settlement expansion into southern Lebanon, bringing the Greater Israel ideology closer to reality.

The South Lebanon Settlement Movement

The South Lebanon Settlement Movement aggressively promotes properties in southern Lebanon on platforms like Telegram, advocating for the annexation of Lebanese lands as part of Israel's “Promised Land.” They call for the expulsion of Lebanese residents to make way for Israeli settlers, using religious justifications to support their claims (See Ref #8).

Use of Telegram and Technology

These groups exploit social media platforms like Telegram to disseminate their messages, organize activities, and recruit members. The anonymity and reach provided by these platforms enable them to spread their ideology rapidly while evading oversight. This raises concerns about the responsibility of tech companies in monitoring and regulating content that promotes illegal activities or incites violence.

AI Systems in Military Operations

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have integrated advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into their military operations, including systems like {Lavender} and {"Where's Daddy?"}. These AI programs have played a significant role in recent military campaigns, notably in Gaza, and raise profound ethical and legal concerns.

Lavender: The AI Targeting System

According to investigative reports, the IDF developed an AI-based program known as {Lavender} to rapidly process massive amounts of data and generate potential targets for military strikes. The system is designed to mark suspected operatives in militant groups as potential bombing targets. During conflicts, {Lavender} has reportedly marked tens of thousands of individuals for assassination with minimal human oversight.

Key aspects of {Lavender} include:

Automated Target Generation: {Lavender} processes vast amounts of surveillance data to identify individuals it deems as militants, assigning ratings to almost every person in the Gaza Strip based on their likelihood of being affiliated with militant groups.

Minimal Human Oversight: Reports indicate that human personnel often acted as a "rubber stamp" for the machine's decisions, sometimes spending as little as 20 seconds to approve targets without thoroughly checking the AI's reasoning.

Accuracy and Errors: The AI system is known to make errors in approximately 10% of cases, occasionally marking individuals with loose or no connections to militant groups. This statistical approach accepts that some civilians may be wrongly targeted.

High Civilian Casualties: The use of {Lavender} has been linked to significant civilian casualties, as the system sometimes targets individuals in their homes, resulting in the deaths of family members and non-combatants.

"Where's Daddy?": Tracking Targets

Another AI system, colloquially known as {"Where's Daddy?"}, is used to track targeted individuals and signal when they enter their family residences. This system enables the IDF to carry out bombings when targets are likely to be at home, which often includes their families.

Key concerns about {"Where's Daddy?"} include:

Family Homes as Targets: By focusing on individuals when they are in their homes, the system increases the likelihood of civilian casualties, including women and children.

Ethical Implications: Targeting individuals in their homes without ensuring the absence of non-combatants raises serious ethical questions under international humanitarian law.

Ethical and Legal Implications

The deployment of these AI systems in military operations raises several critical issues:

Violation of International Law: International humanitarian law requires distinction between combatants and civilians and mandates that attacks be proportional and necessary. The use of AI systems that accept a margin of error and target individuals in civilian settings challenges these principles.

Accountability and Transparency: The reliance on AI systems complicates the assignment of responsibility in cases where AI-driven decisions result in unlawful killings or war crimes.

Erosion of Human Judgment: The minimal human oversight in approving targets diminishes the role of human judgment and ethical consideration in life-and-death decisions.

International Response

Human rights organizations and international legal experts have expressed deep concern over the use of AI in military targeting:

Calls for Regulation: There are increasing demands for international regulations to govern the deployment of AI in military contexts to ensure compliance with humanitarian law.

Investigations into War Crimes: The use of AI systems that result in high civilian casualties may constitute war crimes, prompting calls for investigations by bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Application in Lebanon

While these AI systems were initially reported in the context of operations in Gaza, there is growing concern that similar technologies are being employed in southern Lebanon. The potential use of {Lavender} and {"Where's Daddy?"} in Lebanon could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and lead to further violations of international law.

These developments underscore the urgent need for the international community to scrutinize the use of such technologies to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and to protect the rights of affected populations (See Ref #17, 18).

Uri Tzafon

Another ultra-right organization, Uri Tzafon, was founded in early 2024 with the explicit goal of establishing Israeli civilian settlements in southern Lebanon. Their activities include:

Flyer and balloon campaigns targeting Lebanese villages, demanding that locals vacate their homes.

A map of southern Lebanon renaming Lebanese towns with Hebrew names, symbolizing their intention to claim the land (See Ref #9).

These groups, alongside others, signal a dangerous shift from rhetoric to reality, promoting the idea that Lebanon belongs to Israel under the pretext of biblical entitlement (See Ref #8, 9).

The Children’s Book: Indoctrinating the Next Generation

In an attempt to normalize the Greater Israel project for future generations, Israeli settlers have published a children’s book claiming that Lebanon belongs to Israel. The book teaches Israeli youth that annexation of Lebanese land is a birthright, further embedding expansionist ideology within younger generations.

{Ethical Implications}: Indoctrinating children with expansionist ideologies raises serious ethical concerns. It not only perpetuates conflict but also violates international norms on education, which emphasize promoting peace, tolerance, and mutual respect among nations and peoples (See Ref #10).

The Human Cost: Lebanon Under Siege

Since October 8, 2023, Israel’s military actions in southern Lebanon have caused immense suffering. By October 12, 2024, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported 2,255 deaths, with 10,524 people injured, the majority being civilians. In just the past 24 hours, 26 people were killed, and 144 injured (See Ref #2).

350,000 children have been displaced by the ongoing conflict, with 127 children killed, and over 100 of these deaths occurring in just 11 days. Hospitals have not been spared either—10 hospitals have been damaged, including a neonatal intensive care unit, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis (See Ref #8).

The numbers, however, only tell part of the story. The human suffering behind these figures is immense and deeply personal. Renowned Lebanese photojournalist {Nabil Ismail} has captured haunting images of displaced families living in cars and on the streets, highlighting the dire conditions faced by civilians.

His photographs, available on his Facebook page, depict:

Families Sheltering in Cars: Entire families are shown huddled in their vehicles, having lost their homes. Cars serve as makeshift shelters offering little protection against the elements.

Children Sleeping Outdoors: Images of children sleeping on sidewalks and open fields illustrate the vulnerability and trauma inflicted on the youngest victims of the conflict.

Elderly in Despair: The elderly are seen amidst rubble, their faces reflecting loss and hopelessness, emphasizing the indiscriminate nature of the suffering.

These visual testimonies bring to light the everyday realities of those affected by the conflict and underscore the urgent need for humanitarian assistance. {Nabil Ismail}'s work provides a stark visual representation of the crisis unfolding in Lebanon, serving as a powerful reminder of the individual lives disrupted and the collective trauma experienced by the Lebanese people.

The relentless Israeli bombardment has displaced over 1.2 million people, with UN reports stating that nearly a quarter of Lebanon’s territory is under military displacement orders. These attacks have also targeted Lebanese military personnel—killing two soldiers on October 11, 2024—and even UN peacekeepers, further escalating tensions (See Ref #11, 13).

US-Israeli Relations: Enabling Expansion

The United States plays a pivotal role in enabling Israeli military operations. In June 2024, US envoy Amos Hochstein warned Israeli officials that their confrontations with Hezbollah could provoke a wide-scale Iranian attack, yet American military aid to Israel continues unabated, funded by U.S. taxpayers. This support fuels the very war machine that I exposed before being restricted on Twitter/X (See Ref #14, 15).

Since the conflict escalated in October 2023, the damage to Lebanon's infrastructure has been catastrophic:

25 water facilities have been damaged, affecting access to clean water for nearly 300,000 people.

37 health facilities have been forced to close across the country, limiting medical access for civilians in critical areas.

At least 4,000 residential buildings have been completely destroyed, and 20,000 buildings have been severely damaged, leaving tens of thousands of families without homes (See Ref #10).

This extensive damage to infrastructure, combined with the massive displacement of over 1.2 million people, underscores the heavy toll that Israeli aggression has taken on Lebanon. Despite the humanitarian crisis, U.S. military support continues to bolster Israel’s capabilities, exacerbating the destruction (See Ref #10, 14, 15).

{Legal and Moral Responsibilities}: The U.S. government's continued military aid raises questions about its legal and moral responsibilities. Under international law, providing assistance to a state committing human rights violations may implicate the aiding state. American citizens and lawmakers must reconsider the implications of their government's foreign policy on human rights abroad.

The Normalization of Greater Israel

The rhetoric and actions of Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Israeli settler groups signal a dangerous normalization of the Greater Israel project. What once was fringe ideology is now openly embraced by Israeli political leaders, posing an existential threat to Lebanon’s sovereignty and pushing the region towards greater instability. Factors contributing to this normalization include:

Political Shifts within Israel: The rise of far-right parties has mainstreamed expansionist ideologies.

Regional Dynamics: Ongoing conflicts and power vacuums in neighboring countries have provided opportunities for territorial ambitions.

International Complacency: Lack of decisive action by the global community emboldens aggressive policies.

The media's role is also critical. Global coverage can either challenge or inadvertently support this normalization by the way it frames the conflict. It's imperative for media outlets to provide balanced reporting that highlights the realities on the ground and the legal implications of such expansionist agendas (See Ref #1, 2).

Call to Action: Defending Lebanon’s Sovereignty

As Lebanon continues to suffer under the shadow of Israeli expansionism, the international community must act. Netanyahu’s map, Smotrich’s rhetoric, and the activities of settler organizations pose clear threats to regional peace. It is essential to hold Israel accountable and demand global recognition of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

{Specific Actions}:

Diplomatic Pressure: Governments worldwide should condemn the expansionist policies and apply diplomatic pressure on Israel to adhere to international law.

Support Human Rights Organizations: Back organizations like Amnesty International, B’Tselem, and Human Rights Watch in documenting violations and advocating for justice.

Legal Recourse: Encourage the pursuit of legal action through international courts to address unlawful activities and human rights abuses.

Public Awareness: Spread information about the situation in Lebanon through social media, community events, and educational programs.

Humanitarian Aid: Provide support to displaced individuals and communities affected by the conflict through donations and volunteer work.

Advocacy: Contact elected representatives to express concerns about foreign policies that enable human rights violations and push for change.

Lebanon's future depends on global solidarity and concerted efforts to uphold justice and human rights.

{References}

1. "Netanyahu brandishes map of Israel that includes West Bank and Gaza at UN speech" – Times of Israel

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This will help countries circumvent illegal Western unilateral sanctions.

It will also let them settle transactions in local currencies, not the US dollar.