A social media post by Israel's Foreign Ministry featuring an ancient biblical map has ignited fierce criticism from Arab nations, with Jordan's government condemning it as a "provocative" act that threatens regional sovereignty.
The controversy erupted after the Ministry's Arabic-language account shared a map showing the historical boundaries of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judea, accompanied by a post asking "Did you know that the Kingdom of Israel was established 3000 years ago?" The content traced the biblical accounts of kings Saul, David, and Solomon, through to the kingdom's division and eventual exile under Assyrian and Babylonian rule, concluding with modern Israel's 1948 establishment as "the only democracy in the Middle East."
Jordan's Foreign Ministry issued a sharp rebuke, "condemning in the strongest terms" the maps that included parts of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestinian territories. Ministry spokesman Sufian Qudah linked the post to recent statements by Israeli officials about West Bank annexation and Gaza settlements, calling it part of an "extremist" agenda that "encourages cycles of violence."
The response spread quickly across Arab media, with outlets including Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera featuring the story. The Palestinian Authority joined the criticism, with spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh denouncing it as a "fabrication of history" that violates international law. Palestinian writer Yaseen Izeddeen claimed on X that the map reflected long-standing Israeli territorial ambitions, suggesting "Jordan is among their aspirations, but they leave it for the next stage."
Jordanian Parliament Speaker Ahmad Al-Safadi escalated the rhetoric, describing the maps as expressing "criminal mentality and malicious ambitions that cannot be ignored or tolerated."
However, some regional voices offered different perspectives. Gulf peace activist Luay Al-Shareef defended the post as historically accurate, noting its consistency with both Islamic and Jewish traditions and pointing out that "millions of Muslims bear the name of the Israelite king and prophet David."
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment about the diplomatic backlash.
Jpost contributed to this article.
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