Arizona House Backs Israel’s West Bank Sovereignty | News
Arizona Lawmakers Affirm Israeli Sovereignty Over Judea and Samaria
PHOENIX, AZ – – The Arizona House of Representatives approved resolutions affirming Israel’s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, and directing state agencies to replace the term “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in official communications. The move, supported by both Republicans and Democrats, recognizes what proponents call historical and legal claims to the territory.
House Resolution 2002 and House Concurrent Resolution 2047, sponsored by State Representative David Livingston, formally reject the term “West Bank,” which the resolutions state was imposed during Jordan’s occupation of the territory from to . The measures passed with bipartisan support after receiving approval from the House Appropriations Committee last week.
“Today, the Arizona House chose accuracy over politics,” Representative Livingston said in a statement. “Judea and Samaria are not invented terms and they are not negotiable facts. They are central to Jewish history, faith, and national identity, and Arizona will not participate in language meant to deny that truth.”
The resolutions also highlight the importance of Judea and Samaria to Israel’s security and to United States interests, specifically citing concerns about the potential emergence of a terrorist-controlled territory in the region. This connection to U.S. Security interests was a key argument in garnering bipartisan support for the measures.
Israeli Consul General Yisrael Bachar applauded the decision, describing the terminology as “indigenous names” that affirm historical ties to the region. Bachar’s statement underscores the significance of the resolutions for the Israeli government and its supporters.
The vote reflects a growing trend of US state-level legislation concerning Israel policy. While the specific impact of the resolutions on Arizona’s international relations remains to be seen, the symbolic gesture carries considerable weight. The resolutions direct Arizona state agencies to use the new terminology in all official communications, including welcome signs and official documents.
According to The Media Line, the move is framed by supporters as a recognition of historical accuracy, while critics suggest it represents a growing politicization of language surrounding the Middle East within US state politics. The debate over terminology reflects the deeply entrenched and often contentious nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
House Resolution 2002 was adopted upon passage by the House. House Concurrent Resolution 2047 now moves to the Arizona Senate for consideration. The outcome of the Senate vote will determine whether the new terminology becomes official state policy.
The resolutions recognize the “historical, biblical, and legal legitimacy of Judea and Samaria,” a point emphasized by Representative Livingston as central to the rationale behind the legislation. This recognition of historical and religious claims is likely to resonate with many within the state’s Jewish community and among supporters of Israel.
The shift in terminology is not merely semantic, according to supporters. They argue that the term “West Bank” carries a political connotation that implicitly favors a particular outcome in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By using “Judea and Samaria,” they aim to present a more neutral and historically accurate depiction of the territory.