Beyond Oil and Territory: Israel’s Religious-Geopolitical Vision
As the United States and Israel’s military campaign against Iran continues, analysts are increasingly focusing on Israel’s broader strategic objectives—objectives that extend far beyond the stated goals of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program or securing oil interests. While President Donald Trump appears uncertain about America’s involvement, Israeli leadership seems pursuing a markedly different agenda with deep historical and religious dimensions.
The Greater Israel Doctrine
At the heart of Israel’s long-term vision lies the concept of “Greater Israel”—a territorial ideology rooted in biblical prophecy. According to the Book of Genesis, God promised Abraham’s descendants land stretching from the Nile River to the Euphrates River, encompassing territories that today include parts of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to present-day Israel and Palestine.
This is not merely a fringe academic theory. Senior Israeli officials have openly referenced these territorial ambitions:
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an amulet representing the “Promised Land” in August 2025, drawing condemnation from a coalition of 31 Arab and Muslim countries who called it a direct threat to regional security.
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has spoken of expanding Israeli borders to include Damascus, citing religious texts that suggest Jerusalem’s future expansion should reach Syria’s capital. In a 2023 Paris memorial, Smotrich stood before a map showing Jordan within Israeli territory.
- US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee affirmed in March 2026 that he supports Israel’s claim to all biblically-promised land, stating “according to the Bible this land was given to Israel.”
The historical record shows Israel’s territorial expansion has proceeded incrementally: from the 1948 British Mandate boundaries, to occupying the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, followed by the Golan Heights and Sinai (later returned to Egypt). Recent years have seen renewed settlement activity in Palestinian territories and military operations in Syria and Lebanon.
The Third Temple Prophecy
Parallel to territorial ambitions lies the equally significant Third Temple project—a religious endeavor centered on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount (known to Muslims as Al-Haram al-Sharif).
This site represents one of the world’s most contested religious locations:
- For Jews: It is the Temple Mount, location of the First Temple (destroyed 586 BCE) and Second Temple (destroyed 70 CE). Only the Western Wall remains today.
- For Muslims: It hosts the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, Islam’s third-holiest site, believed to be where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
- For Christians: The area holds eschatological significance related to end-times prophecy.
According to Jewish tradition, the Third Temple can only be built when the Messiah arrives. However, several developments suggest preparation for this outcome:
- US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated at a 2018 Jerusalem event: “There is no reason why temple cannot be rebuilt on the Temple Mount.”
- Israeli soldiers have been photographed wearing “Third Temple” patches and displaying “Conquest of Al-Aqsa” banners on military vehicles.
- The ongoing conflict with Iran has intensified focus on Ayatollah Khamenei as a target—a Shia religious leader assassinated during Ramadan—potentially attempting to provoke broader Sunni-Shia tensions that could destabilize Muslim control of Jerusalem.
American Evangelical Support
The Greater Israel and Third Temple movements receive substantial backing from American Christian Zionists who view these developments as fulfilling biblical prophecy necessary for Christ’s return. This constituency has significant influence in US politics, particularly within certain Republican circles.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, has characterized the conflict as a religious war where “Israel’s victory is more important” than American interests. Reports suggest Graham played a key role in encouraging Trump’s involvement in the Iran conflict after receiving military training in Israel.
Strategic Calculation
Israel’s approach appears calculated: by drawing the United States into a prolonged conflict with Iran, Israel may achieve several objectives:
- Neutralizing Iran as the primary regional power capable of resisting Israeli expansion
- Creating conditions for territorial ambitions in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria
- Exploiting Sunni-Shia tensions to prevent unified Muslim opposition to Jerusalem’s status
- Testing American commitment to Israeli security irrespective of costs to US interests
Analysts note that Israel has positioned itself to benefit regardless of the US-Iran outcome: if America is weakened by the conflict, Israel emerges as the unchallenged regional power; if Iran is defeated, obstacles to Greater Israel diminish.
The Al-Aqsa Question
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound remains the most sensitive flashpoint. Currently administered under an Islamic Waqf with status quo arrangements, any attempt to alter this setup—particularly demolition for Third Temple construction—would trigger widespread Muslim outrage potentially exceeding current regional crises.
The deliberate targeting of Shia religious leadership during Ramadan, combined with the expansion of military operations into Lebanon (where Hezbollah protects Al-Aqsa’s interests), suggests some actors may be seeking to create conditions where Muslim divisions prevent coordinated defense of Jerusalem.
Geopolitical Implications
The convergence of religious prophecy with state policy creates a dangerous dynamic where:
- Military objectives become framed as divine mandates rather than political choices
- Diplomatic compromise becomes theologically impossible for stakeholders
- Regional conflicts multiply as actors align along sectarian lines
- Global powers become entangled in disputes with millennial significance
Should Israel pursue either Greater Israel or Third Temple construction—or both—the consequences would likely include:
- Prolonged instability across the Middle East and North Africa
- Radicalization of Muslim populations worldwide
- Direct confrontation with the 1.8 billion-strong Muslim world
- Potential fragmentation of international alliances built on secular interests
The American Dimension
Perhaps most notably, American participation in the Iran campaign appears driven less by clear national interest than by domestic political and religious considerations. While Trump administration officials offer varying explanations—from nuclear deterrence to oil security—the ideological alignment with Israeli maximalist goals suggests deeper entanglement than many Americans recognize.
As Trump himself questions the value of continued involvement, the contrast with Israel’s unwavering commitment to its objectives becomes stark: one side seems uncertain about its purpose; the other appears pursuing a decades-long strategic vision with religious conviction.
The question for international observers remains whether the Greater Israel and Third Temple projects constitute political rhetoric or genuine state policy. Their impact—both on the ongoing Iran conflict and broader regional stability—may well define Middle Eastern geopolitics for decades to come.
