While much of the world prattles on about a “two-state solution” that will supposedly bring about a permanent peace between Israel and the Palestinians, in America, influential Republicans recognize that Judea and Samaria, as a matter of historic right and of international law, must belong to Israel. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, in a recent visit to the city of Ariel, which lies beyond the 1949 armistice lines (known as the Green Line), repeated his support for Israel retaining these territories, and deplored the use of the term “West Bank,” which was invented by the Jordanians in 1950 in order to efface the Jewish connection to the land that the toponyms Judea and Samaria made clear. More on Mike Johnson’s visit, and the increasing support in the Republican Party for Israel to retain all of Judea and Samaria, can be found here: “Republican recognition grants Israel historic chance to cement West Bank sovereignty – editorial,” Jerusalem Post, August 5, 2025:
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s decision to stand in the Samaria city of Ariel on Monday and declare that “Judea and Samaria… must remain an integral part” of Israel was far more than a private photo op. It marked the clearest sign yet that today’s Republican leadership is steadily erasing the Green Line from United States policy toward the Jewish state.
Johnson’s visit capped a string of high-level steps taken since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. On his first afternoon back in the Oval Office, Trump revoked Executive Order 14115 and lifted financial sanctions that the previous administration had imposed on a handful of what they called “extremist settlers” accused of West Bank violence.
Less than two weeks later, Sen. Tom Cotton introduced the RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act, a bill that would bar federal agencies from using the term “West Bank” in official documents, replacing it with the biblical term favored by Israel’s settler movement.
People who try to undermine the use of the place names “Judea and Samaria” scoffingly refer to them as “biblical terms,” but surely that long usage, going back thousands of years, does not weaken, but strengthens the Jewish claim to those territories. And curiously, those who decry use of the terms “Judea and Samaria” because they are “biblical” have no problem with using the place name “Gaza,” which is no less “biblical” a toponym.
In February, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) adopted a resolution urging Washington to “recognize Israel’s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.”
On the same day, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast circulated an internal memo instructing Republican staffers to follow suit in all committee correspondence.
The place names Judea and Samaria were in continuous use for 3,500 years until 1950, when Jordan, which had seized those territories in the 1948 war, stopped using those terms so redolent of Jewish history, and instead concocted a new term — the “West Bank.” Their aim was the same as that of the Romans some 2,000 years before, when they renamed the Kingdom of Judah as “Palestine.” Now House Speaker Johnson, Senator Tom Cotton, and Congressman Brian Mast all say “West Bank” should be abandoned and the historic names of “Judea and Samaria” be brought back into circulation.
Diplomats followed politicians. In a June interview with Bloomberg, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee abandoned the long-standing American goal of an independent Palestinian state, suggesting instead that any eventual Palestinian entity be established “elsewhere in the Arab world.”…
The Israelis are prepared to give the Arabs in Judea and Samaria the freedom to rule themselves, but not to rule over the 700,000 Jewish Israelis who live there, on state and waste lands, as well as on lands bought from Arab landowners at exorbitant prices. Nor would the Palestinian Arabs possess a military that could threaten Israel. They would have a “state-minus.” As Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly said, “I think Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us.”
SKA says
Within the last few years the Kingdom of Jordan convened s conference of scholars to establish what were the historical claims of the supposedly “indigenous Palestinians.” Taking the pre-conquest Canaanites as the indigenous population the conference concluded that they were of Hamitic origin. But since the current Palestinians claim to be Arabs, and thus of Semitic descent, the conference’s conclusions actually undermined the Palestinian claims to be the original inhabitants.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Looks like the Jerusalem post has moved far to the Left. I remember in the 00s, when their reporting was pretty fair, and Caroline Glick was one of their columnists. She’s in a more influential position, but the paper itself has moved far Left
JNS is what I use these days for the latest developments about Israel, Iran, Syria, et al
James Lincoln says
Infidel,
Thanks for the recommendation JNS (Jewish News Syndicate).
Walter Sieruk says
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s absolutely right for recognizing that area of land as Judea and Samaria are part of and belong to the State of Israel.
For what many people think of as the “West Bank” are the land of Judea and Samaria. by archeological and historic rights are the lands of Judea and Samaria.
That so called “West Bank” is likewise conformed in the Bible.
Therefore, the Knesset is absolutely in the right for recognizing that area of land as Judea and Samaria.
In fact,, God had given all that land to the Jewish people. This may be found in the Bible, as seen in, for example, Genesis 28:13-15. 35:10-12. Deuteronomy 32:48,49. Psalm 105:7-11.
In other words the Jews have tall this land by Divine Right. Moreover, the Jewish people should have this land by historic rights as shown in First Kings 4:20,21, 24,25. 8:55, 56.
For the Bible informs its reader “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.” Psalm 135:4. [N.K.J.V.]
somehistory says
Good for him. And for Sen. Cotton.
Often, when a big storm is on the way, or some other *natural* thing is happening…such as a gigantic swarm of locusts…. the reporters will use the term “of Biblical proportions” and no one quibbles with that.
The Bible has the history of the Hebrew people and some of the history of those who interacted with the nation of Israel…for good or bad.
The names “Judea and Samaria” came naturally….due to the people, the names of the people, who lived there at the time.
And even non-believers will call someone a “good Samaritan”
I have yet to hear anyone say “he’s a good west banker.” But, perhaps that has been said of a loan officer at some financial institution in the U.S.
The Truth is important, but to some, it shows their lies for what they are. Those who insist on deleting important Truth, are afraid of it.
gravenimage says
Speaker Johnson: Judea and Samaria Belong to Israel
…………………………………….
Good to hear!