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The Paris Map: Smotrich, Jordan, and the Podium (March 2023)

On Sunday, 19 March 2023, Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, spoke at a memorial event in Paris. He had been finance minister for less than four months. The podium in front of him was draped with a map of "Greater Israel" that showed the Kingdom of Jordan as part of Israel. This was the first time a sitting Israeli cabinet minister had publicly stood behind such a map, and it set off the first formal diplomatic crisis over Greater Israel with a country at peace with Israel.

What the map showed​

Anadolu, the Turkish news agency, reported from Amman that Smotrich "addressed an event in Paris on Sunday while standing by a map of greater Israel portraying Jordan as part of the self-proclaimed Jewish state" (Anadolu via usmuslims.com, 20 March 2023). A Pakistani outlet reporting the same story added that "the map shown on the podium Smotrich was speaking at also showed parts of Syria and Lebanon, regions included in the concept of Eretz Yisrael – Greater Israel" (PLF Pakistan, 21 March 2023). A photo of him at the podium has been shared widely since (Fin de Pencier on X, 22 September 2026; Global News Monitor on X, 21 December 2023). The map matches the old emblem of the Irgun, the pre-state militia of the Revisionist Zionist movement, which showed Palestine and Jordan together; accounts note the design came from the event's organizers (Grok on X, 22 September 2026).

What he said at the podium​

In the same speech, according to Anadolu, Smotrich "denied the existence of the Palestinian people, saying the Palestinians were 'an invention' from the last century and that people like himself and his grandparents were the 'real Palestinians.'" Another account of his record quotes him: "There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language" (XonY, 20 March 2023).

Jordan's response​

  • Jordan summoned Israel's ambassador (Abier on X, 20 March 2023).
  • Foreign Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali called it "a reckless incitement that is in violation of international norms and the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty," said the statements "represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability," and said Amman "will take all necessary political and legal measures to address such extremist, hateful actions and statements" (Anadolu).
  • Haaretz editor Avi Scharf reported that Jordan blasted Smotrich's "extremist, inflammatory [and] racist statements, as well as his use of a map of greater Israel portraying Jordan as part of the Jewish state's territory" (Avi Scharf on X, 20 March 2023).

Israel's response, and what happened next​

Israel's Foreign Ministry said: "There has been no change in the position of the State of Israel, which recognizes the territorial integrity of the Hashemite Kingdom." National security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi called Jordan's foreign minister to affirm "the commitment the Government of Israel has to uphold the peace treaty between our two countries which has strengthened the stability and the security of our region for nearly 30 years" (PLF Pakistan).

Smotrich was not removed. He was not reprimanded in any way that changed his position. He remained finance minister, gained added authority over the West Bank, and went on to say in 2024 that Israel's borders should extend beyond the Jordan River "Absolutely, but slowly," and in 2026 that the border "must be the Litani." Two years after Paris, Netanyahu himself said he connects "very much" to the Greater Israel vision. The Foreign Ministry's words said one thing; the government's choices said another. A Reddit user put the Jordanian reading plainly in 2025: "I don't really blame Jordan for not giving Netanyahu the benefit of the doubt on this term when Smotrich is part of his government's leadership and does stuff like giving a speech in front of a map of Israel expanded to include parts of Jordan" (r/geopolitics thread).

Evidence rating: CONFIRMED.

Status: Bezalel Smotrich, Sinan Majali, Tzachi Hanegbi, Ayman Safadi, and Avi Scharf are alive. Nothing on this page states that any living person committed a crime.

Sources​

Research captures: twitter/t25__v291.md, twitter/t25__v294.md, twitter/t25__v296.md, twitter/t25__v299.md

Last Updated: 2026-09-26

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