A landmark bill introduced in the US Congress seeks to redefine the terminology used for the contested territories between Israel and Jordan. Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is spearheading the "Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act" that would officially refer to the area commonly referred to as the West Bank as "Judea and Samaria," underscoring its historical significance to the Jewish people.
Now more than ever, the US must stand firmly against efforts to delegitimize Israel, and that includes reaffirming the Jewish people's legal and historical claim to Judea and Samaria.
The RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act requires all official U.S. documents and materials to…
— Rep. Claudia Tenney (@RepTenney) February 29, 2024
Tenney explained her intent to promote legislation that would recognize the region as "the historic homeland of the Jewish people." The bill is currently gathering support and signatures from House members and is expected to be formally introduced soon.
Recently, Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, led a delegation to Washington, partly to secure funding for security enhancements in Samaria and for settlement projects. During his visit, Dagan met with Tenney, the New York representative pushing this unprecedented resolution, and they agreed to collaborate on advancing the proposal.
Video: Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, and US Republican Representative Claudia Tenney (Credit: Samaria Regional Council)
In their discussion, Tenney emphasized the importance of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. "Greetings from the US to the wonderful people who live in Samaria," she told Dagan. "I have supported you and I will continue to support you. My bill will require that we refer to Judea and Samaria as the region that is the historic homeland of the Jewish people, not the 'West Bank.' We will continue to fight for your historical roots and relevance. May God bless all of you. We're thinking of you and praying for Israel."
Following their meeting, Dagan reached out to congressional members with strong ties to Samaria, seeking their support in passing the proposal. He stated, "One of the major challenges facing Israel and Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria is the terminology used. The name 'West Bank,' coined by global opinion leaders, politicians, and journalists, implies that the area rightfully belongs to Jordan.
"The authentic, biblical, and original name is 'Judea and Samaria' and for good reason. This is the land from which the people of Israel were exiled and to which we returned after two millennia. The promotion of the term 'West Bank' is partly an attempt to deny our rightful claim to the area and the unbreakable bond between the Jewish people and Judea and Samaria."
