Press Release:
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the recognizing Judea and Samaria Act to require all official United States documents and materials to use the term "Judea and Samaria" instead of the "West Bank."
Additional cosponsors of this legislation include Representatives Randy Weber (TX-14) and Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04).
The terms Judea and Samaria date back millennia to the ancient Kingdoms of Judah and Samaria. In 1967, after Israel’s Arab neighbors launched the Six-Day War, Israel reclaimed Judea and Samaria from Jordan. The term “West Bank” is used to delegitimize Israel’s historical claim to this land.
In November 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States would formally recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria. Recently, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reversed this position, stating the Biden administration's disappointment in Israel's recent decision to expand its settlements in the region.
This condemnation comes even though under the Oslo Accords, a bilateral agreement between Israel and Palestinian representatives, Israel was granted full military and civilian control over the majority of Judea and Samaria.
"The Israeli people have an undeniable and indisputable historical and legal claim over Judea and Samaria, and at this critical moment in history, the United States must reaffirm this," said Congresswoman Tenney. "The misguided decision by the Biden administration to revoke the Pompeo Doctrine undermines our greatest ally in the Middle East. The recognizing Judea and Samaria Act requires all U.S. legal documents to use the rightful term "Judea and Samaria" to refer to this territory instead of the "West Bank." This bill reaffirms Israel's rightful claim to its territory. I remain committed to defending the integrity of the Jewish state and fully supporting Israel's sovereignty over Judea and Samaria."
