The town of Avnei Hefetz in Samaria. (Gili Yaari/Flash 90)
Republican lawmakers relaunch bid, supported by President Donald Trump, to end use of the phrase ‘West Bank’ in all official federal documents in favor of the area’s historical name, Judea and Samaria.
By World Israel News Staff
A Republican congresswoman is rebooting legislative efforts to replace the term “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in all official federal documents.
New York Rep. Claudia Tenney announced last week at a meeting of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus that she plans on reintroducing a bill that would replace the term “West Bank” with the historical name for the territories occupied by Jordan west of the Jordan River from 1948 until 1967.
“We need to make sure that we don’t allow the language, the tradition, the history of Israel, to be weaponized by terms like ‘West Bank,’” Tenney said, noting that President Donald Trump has expressed support for the move.
“President Trump has said this is going to be a very priority task for him to get this done,” Tenney said.
“It’s the beginning of us shifting the language, and what we’re doing and making sure that we always protect the historical homeland of the Jews, and that is in Israel, and Israel includes Judea and Samaria.”
Last February, Tenney introduced a bill, cosponsored by fellow Republican lawmakers Anthony D’Esposito and Randy Weber, which, if passed would “require all official United States documents and materials to use the term ‘Judea and Samaria’ instead of the ‘West Bank’.”
“The term Judea and Samaria dates back millennia to the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Samaria,” Tenney said after the drafting of the 2024 bill.
“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,” he added.
In December, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas introduced parallel legislation to the Senate.
According to a report by Yedioth Aharanoth, Cotton is also planning to reintroduce his bill this year.
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