Words matter. I am reminded of this each and every day as I drive through cities whose names reflect not just thousands of years of our Jewish history but also our very identity.
With President Donald Trump back in office, US Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas has re-introduced proposed legislation to have the United States stop using the term “West Bank” and instead use “Judea and Samaria,” the biblical and historical name for these areas in Israel. If this bill passes, it would necessitate by law the removal of past references to the term “West Bank” from all US documents.
The “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act,” is cited in the Congressional Record as the “Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria Act.” That truly says it all, delineating the land south of Jerusalem as “Judea,” and the land north of Jerusalem as “Samaria.”
For those of us who live and work in these biblical heartlands, the name “West Bank” has always felt artificial. It erases three millennia of documented Jewish presence. The term gained prominence after Jordan illegally occupied the territory after Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. It simply referred to the land west of the Jordan River. For thousands of years before that, the area was known as Judea and Samaria.
Sen. Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, clearly understands the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. In commenting on the proposed bill, he said “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.”
Indeed, the proposed congressional change acknowledges what biblical scholars, archaeologists, and historians alike have confirmed over time: These territories are part of the historical Jewish homeland. Judea is named for the territory belonging to the tribe of Judah, and Samaria, too, appears in the Bible. In fact, the word “Jew” comes from the Hebrew word Yehudi, which means “of Judea.” This is how intrinsic the region is to our Jewish identity.
Critics argue that such a change would prejudice final status negotiations or somehow undermine Palestinian claims. But accuracy doesn’t negate that, at Rescuers Without Borders, our emergency medical teams serve all residents of these areas – Jews and Arabs alike. When we respond to emergencies, we navigate roads connecting ancient Jewish towns, such as Hebron, where Abraham purchased land for Sarah’s burial, and Shiloh, where the Tabernacle stood for nearly four centuries. These aren’t arbitrary settlements – they represent the cradle of Jewish civilization.
What the name change would do would be to correct a historical injustice. The term “West Bank” was deliberately promoted to sever the Jewish connection to these territories after Jordan’s occupation – an occupation recognized by only two countries worldwide. When Jordan subsequently lost these territories in a defensive war in 1967, the damage was already done; the artificial name had taken root in the international lexicon.
Why this matters to America
This issue resonates on multiple levels for Americans. The US was founded on Judeo-Christian values, with the Bible serving as a moral compass for many of the nation’s founders. The stories of Judea and Samaria aren’t foreign narratives. They are foundational texts that have shaped American culture, law, and society. When Americans read about Bethlehem, Shiloh, or Hebron in their Bible, they are reading about real places in Judea and Samaria that still exist.
For millions of Jewish Americans (and many Christians), these areas are an integral part of their spiritual and religious heritage. Using their correct names is an affirmation of their religious and cultural identity.
Moreover, America has long stood against historical revisionism. The attempted erasure of Jewish connection to these territories parallels troubling patterns we’ve seen throughout history, where conquerors attempt to rewrite the past. Americans, with their deep respect for history and truth, should recognize this pattern and reject it.
Finally, there is the issue of consistency in American foreign policy.
The US already recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, acknowledging the Jewish historical connection to that city. It would be intellectually inconsistent to recognize Jerusalem’s Jewish roots while using terminology that deliberately obscures the Jewish connection to neighboring Judea and Samaria. It is their original names that connect us to that history. Acknowledging these names doesn’t mean Congress is taking sides in a territorial dispute. Rather, it is a correction that aligns with the US policy of historical accuracy and still allows for diplomatic options in any future peace negotiations.
It’s time for official US documents to reflect this historical truth, etched in stone across our ancient landscape.
The writer is the international spokesperson for Rescuers Without Borders, aka Hatzalah Yehuda and Shomron. She lives in Susya, in the South Hebron Hills in Judea.