Wat wil je vandaag aankaarten, vraagt Ai. Welaan, waarom niet kaartlezen?
🗺️ Why Netanyahu Uses Maps So Often
Although Korzybski emphasized that “the map is not the territory,” political leaders often use maps precisely because they blur that distinction for an audience. Netanyahu’s repeated use of maps—especially those that erase Palestine or depict an expanded “Greater Israel”—serves several strategic purposes.
1. To visually normalize contested claims
Maps create an impression of fact, even when they depict aspirations rather than reality.
– In 2023, Netanyahu held up a map at the UN that showed Israel without Palestine, implicitly presenting annexation as a settled reality.
– In interviews, he has affirmed his connection to the biblical “Greater Israel” vision, which includes territory from the Nile to the Euphrates.
A map makes such claims look tidy, bounded, and legitimate—something a speech alone cannot do.
2. To signal ideological alignment
Netanyahu’s maps resonate with the Revisionist Zionist tradition and with far‑right coalition partners who openly advocate for maximal territorial expansion.
– Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has repeatedly displayed maps of “Greater Israel” including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and parts of Egypt and Iraq.
– Netanyahu’s own statements—“very much” connected to this vision—reinforce that alignment.
Maps become a badge of ideological identity.
3. To project inevitability and destiny
By presenting maps as though they depict the natural or biblical order of things, Netanyahu frames expansionist ideas as part of a “historic and spiritual mission.”
– He has described himself in precisely those terms.
This is not about cartography—it’s about narrative power.
4. To influence international perception
At global forums like the UN, a map is a simple, dramatic visual that can dominate headlines.
The 2023 UN map that erased Palestine drew widespread condemnation across the Arab world. Maps are media-friendly, and Netanyahu knows it.
🧭 How This Relates to Korzybski
Korzybski warned that symbols can be mistaken for reality. Netanyahu’s maps exploit that very cognitive shortcut:
– They collapse complex political realities into a single visual.
– They present aspirations as if they were established facts.
– They encourage audiences to accept a political project as a geographic inevitability.
In other words, the map is not the territory—but it can be used to claim the territory.
- Israeli Government & Supporters
Interpretation:
– A map is seen as a security illustration—a way to show threats from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other actors.
– Supporters frame it as a factual depiction of regional dangers and Israel’s strategic environment.
Evidence:
– Netanyahu used a map at the UN to highlight what he called “Iran’s terror axis,” presenting it as a visual explanation of regional threats.
– Israeli officials described his speech as “honest” about Israel’s challenges and isolation.
How it lands: For this audience, the map reinforces the narrative that Israel is under existential threat and must act decisively.
2. Arab States, Palestinians, and Pro‑Palestinian Audiences
Interpretation:
– Maps are often seen as erasing Palestinian presence or justifying expansionist policy.
– They are interpreted as political statements rather than neutral illustrations.
Evidence:
– Critical outlets and Palestinian authorities have accused Netanyahu of using maps to justify military actions and to promote misleading narratives.
– Walkouts and protests at the UN reflect rejection of his framing.
How it lands: The map is perceived as a provocation or as part of a broader attempt to legitimize territorial claims.
3. Western Media & International Diplomats
Interpretation:
– Reactions vary widely depending on the outlet’s editorial stance.
– Maps are seen as rhetorical devices—some view them as clarifying, others as manipulative.
Evidence:
– NBC framed Netanyahu’s appearance as emotionally charged and confrontational.
– Al Jazeera described his actions as part of a negative global perception, calling him a “global pariah.”
– ORF reported neutrally but omitted context about applause sources, showing how even neutral coverage can shape perception.
How it lands: Diplomats and media interpret the map through the lens of broader geopolitical tensions, not just the visual itself.
Netanyahu Uses Maps to Provoke and Signal Ideology
Netanyahu’s maps are often designed to:
– Provoke international audiences (e.g., UN maps that erase Palestine).
– Signal alignment with territorial maximalists in his coalition.
– Frame Israel as embattled, surrounded by Iranian influence or threats.
– Promote geopolitical visions, such as a “New Middle East” without Palestinian statehood.
Earlier leaders:
– Ben‑Gurion used maps to explain state‑building and early borders.
– Rabin used maps pragmatically in peace negotiations.
– Begin used maps to frame historical Jewish connection but not to erase Palestinian geography.
Their maps were tools of diplomacy or historical narrative—not instruments of erasure.
- Use of Maps as Political Theater
– Netanyahu frequently uses maps as visual props in speeches—at the UN, press conferences, and political events—to dramatize threats (especially Iran) or promote his geopolitical vision.
– Earlier leaders used maps mainly in diplomatic or technical contexts, not as recurring public performance tools. - Maps That Reflect Ideological Positions
– Netanyahu’s maps often align with far‑right narratives, referring to the West Bank as “Judea and Samaria” and omitting Palestinian identity entirely.
– Previous leaders, even conservative ones, generally adhered to internationally recognized terminology in official settings. - Inclusion of Controversial or Non‑Standard Borders
– Netanyahu has shown maps that: Depict a “New Middle East” without Palestine (UNGA 2022), Show Western Sahara as separate from Morocco—another diplomatic flashpoint.
– Earlier leaders avoided such non‑standard cartography because it risked diplomatic backlash. - Maps Emphasizing Threats, Especially Iran
– Netanyahu often uses maps to illustrate Iran’s “terror network” or a “dark crescent” of Iranian influence.
– Previous leaders discussed Iran but did not rely on dramatic cartographic displays.
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Zullen we het voor deze keer hier bij laten, en naar een opgewekter onderwerp gaan? Netanyahu, Trump, Israël, Gaza ….. dat maakt alleen maar treurig en neerslachtig.
Dat de Chinezen het kompas hebben uitgevonden weten we zo langzamerhand allemaal wel.
Met Pasen gaan we NIET aan Israël refereren, laten we dat absoluut en verre van ons houden. Gewoon, seculiere, onvervalste Hollandse paaseieren, verven en verstoppen.
We verwachten zo’n vijftig kinderen, dus dat wordt een groot feest.
- Dit is een mooi bruggetje naar een Hollandse natuurboer naar wie de jongelui net hebben gekeken en waar ze helemaal vrolijk van werden.
Deze man is zó ongelooflijk postitief en motiverend. Je moet er maar niet aan denken dat er onvermijdelijk Haagse politici in de coulissen staan, ieder met haar en zijn eigen onwelriekende agenda’s en verdienmodellen, die voor elk goed idee dat zo’n man lanceert een kruiwagen stront klaar hebben staan om over uit te kieperen ….. brrrrrrrrrrr…….
- Van Silfhout roept niet alleen maar foei! om vervolgens gezellig verder te babbelen, neen, hij dóet wat.
En hóe! Precies dát maakt hem voor de nomenklatoera ongetwijfeld ongenietbaar, want dat is de kaste van loze en voze babbelaars.
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In deze aflevering van ‘Nieuws van de Week’ schuift ‘boernalist’ en voormalig onderzoeksjournalist Marcel van Silfhout aan bij Ad Verbrugge en Rogier van Bemmel.