Israel is extending its footprint through war. For some, it's part of a greater plan

On the fringes of Israel's far right, some activists and political leaders dream of a Greater Israel, extending the country's area of control into neighboring countries. AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: Israel has extended beyond its borders in the last few years. It now controls big swaths of neighboring land in Gaza, Lebanon and even in Syria. By bombing and at times leveling towns and villages and displacing over 3 million people, according to U.N. figures, Israel has taken over areas its officials call security buffer zones. But some in Israel want to permanently extend their country's borders using the Bible as a map. From Jerusalem, NPR's Daniel Estrin reports. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in Hebrew). UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Non-English language spoken). UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in Hebrew). DANIEL ESTRIN, BYLINE: About 10 Israeli activists film themselves singing and dancing in Syria. They just walked a few hundred feet across the Israeli border into the part of Syria the Israeli military has occupied since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in Hebrew). ESTRIN: The Israeli activists sing a Hebrew verse from the Bible, a rallying cry to the ancient Israelites to inherit the promised land, despite the inhabitants already living there. One Israeli activist says... (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Non-English language spoken). ESTRIN: "Go Syria. …