Donald J. Trump’s renewed presidency has galvanized right-wing factions in both Israel and the United States who advocate for the annexation of the West Bank, an area historically regarded by Palestinians and the international community as part of a future Palestinian state. Recently, Republican representatives from the House and Senate have introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting the term "West Bank" in official U.S. documents, proposing instead the term "Judea and Samaria." This terminology reflects biblical references favored in Israel and is formally used by the Israeli government to denote the region.
This linguistic initiative seeks to bolster Israel's historical assertions regarding the area, which it seized from Jordan during the 1967 conflict and has occupied ever since. Concurrently, the Israeli military has intensified operations in the territory under the guise of counterterrorism measures. Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, stated that this legislation would acknowledge "the Jewish people's legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria," while critics argue that this terminology serves a political agenda.
Representative Claudia Tenney of New York, another bill supporter, has also launched a congressional group named the Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus, aiming to promote policies that endorse Israeli territorial claims. The proposal, initially put forth by Tenney last year, is now being revived as the political landscape in Washington has dramatically shifted, with Republicans gaining control of Congress and Trump expressing his firm backing for Israeli aims.
During his earlier tenure, Trump pushed for the annexation of substantial portions of the West Bank, a move reflecting an expansionist approach towards Israeli policies. As the current political dynamics unfold, these legislative efforts mark a significant consolidation of right-wing pro-Israel actions in the U.S. legislature.
