Yair Lapid backs 'biblical' borders for Israel | Middle East Eye
Skip to main content
Search
Search
Algeria
Bahrain
China
Egypt
France
Germany
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey
UK
United Arab Emirates
US
Yemen
Youtube
TikTok
War on Iran
Israel's genocide in Gaza
Toggle navigation
Toggle navigation
Now
War on Iran
Israel's genocide in Gaza
Follow us
Youtube
News | Occupation
Yair Lapid backs 'biblical' borders for Israel
Israeli opposition leader says he will support anything that allows 'the Jews a large, broad, strong land and a safe haven'
Yair Lapid, leader of Israel's opposition, joins a rally calling for ultra-Orthodox Jews to enlist for military service, in Jerusalem on 15 January 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP)
Alex MacDonald
Published date: 24 February 2026 13:01 GMT<br>Last update: 5 months ago
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has expressed his support for expanding the state's borders to their "biblical" extent when the security situation allows.
Asked at a press conference on Monday about US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee's comments that the country had a religious right to seize all the land between the Euphrates and Nile rivers, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party said he backed a Greater Israel.
"I support anything that will allow the Jews a large, broad, strong land and a safe haven for us, our children and our children's children. That I support," he told a Kipa News reporter.
When asked "How broad?" Lapid reponded: "As broad as possible.
He added that there were practical "considerations of security and policy and time", but said Israeli territory could expand as far as Iraq.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on<br>Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
"Zionism is based on the Bible, our mandate over the land of Israel is biblical, the biblical borders of Israel are very clear," he said.
"I believe our ownership deed over the land of Israel is the Bible, therefore the borders are the Bible's borders."
'Zionism is based on the Bible, our mandate over the land of Israel is biblical, the biblical borders of Israel are very clear'
- Yair Lapid
Lapid, who has been the leader of the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since January 2023, has previously expressed support for a two-state solution for Palestinians.
However, he described the decision by a number of European states in September to recognise the State of Palestine as a "reward for terror".
Huckabee's controversial comments were made last week in an interview with right-wing American commentator Tucker Carlson, in which the avowed Zionist and Baptist minister also said it "would be fine" if Israel took all of the Middle East.
When pushed by Carlson to say if he thought it would be fine if Israel took Lebanon, Syria and other Arab states, Huckabee said it was a "hyperbolic statement" but said it would be a "whole other discussion" if Israel captured the land after being attacked by those states.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
Recommended
Occupation
How Israeli settler terrorism threatens the basics of Palestinian survival<br>Ghada Majadli
Occupation
Photo of Israeli soldiers posing next to blindfolded Palestinian fuels anger online
Occupation
London council set to cut Haifa ties over Israel's apartheid against Palestinians
Read more
Islamophobia
Why Israel is joining hands with Europe's far right<br>Farid Hafez
Israel-India relations
Everything you need to know about Modi's visit to Israel
Occupation
Contrary to US policy, ambassador Huckabee says West Bank's Area C 'is Israel'
Youtube
TikTok
Top
Countries
Algeria
Bahrain
China
Egypt
France
Germany
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey
UK
United Arab Emirates
US
Yemen
About
About us
Privacy
Terms and conditions
Careers
Contact us
Copyright © 2014 - 2026. Middle East Eye. All rights reserved. Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters.
Middle East Eye ISSN 2634-2456