GOP lawmakers are pushing to officially replace the term “West Bank” with the biblical names “Judea and Samaria” in all federal documents, signaling a significant shift in U.S. terminology regarding contested territories in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
At a Glance
- Rep. Brian Mast, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has instructed Republican staff to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank” in official communications
- Senator Tom Cotton introduced a Senate bill mirroring similar House legislation to formalize this terminology change in all federal documents
- The terminology shift aligns with biblical claims to the territory favored by Israel’s right-wing and evangelical supporters
- Nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since 2022 amid escalating tensions
- Critics argue the change undermines Palestinian territorial claims and international consensus
Biblical Terminology Enters U.S. Foreign Policy
Republican lawmakers are advancing efforts to cement Israel’s historical claims to contested territories through a strategic change in terminology.
On top of Trump’s plan to take control of Gaza, this signals a total shift in how the U.S. looks at this part of the world.
Rep. Brian Mast, as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has directed Republican staff to adopt the biblical terms “Judea and Samaria” in place of “West Bank” in all official communications. This linguistic shift reflects a deeper ideological position that connects modern geopolitical disputes to ancient religious claims.
Senator Tom Cotton has formalized this approach by introducing legislation that would mandate the terminology change across all federal documents. “The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria go back thousands of years. The US should stop using the politically charged term West Bank to refer to the biblical heartland of Israel,” Cotton said.
The Republican Party’s strong support for Israel represents a relatively recent development in American politics. This shift has been significantly influenced by evangelical Christians, who often view support for Israel through the lens of biblical prophecy and the “Abrahamic Covenant.” These religious connections have helped transform Israel policy into a core Republican value, particularly as partisan sorting has intensified in recent decades.
Legislative Efforts and Territorial Claims
The Senate legislation introduced by Cotton mirrors earlier House initiatives, including the “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act” introduced by Representatives Claudia Tenney, Randy Weber, and Anthony D’Esposito. These coordinated efforts demonstrate the Republican commitment to changing the narrative surrounding these territories through official U.S. policy and terminology.
Recently, the House passed related legislation designating products from Israeli settlements as originating from “Israel,” further solidifying U.S. support for Israel’s territorial claims. The “Anti-BDS Labeling Act” targets the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement while maintaining Trump-era policies that rejected distinctions between Israel proper and its settlements in contested areas.
These legislative efforts come against a backdrop of escalating violence in the region. Nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since 2022 due to Israeli military operations in response to Hamas’ horrific and relentless terror attacks.
