Radical changes promoted by the Israeli government beyond the Green Line are gaining traction overseas as well. Settlement leaders are intensifying efforts in the coming months to increase pressure for international recognition of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.
One avenue being pursued is diplomatic activity in Washington, aimed at generating pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump. As part of this effort, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has been holding talks with U.S. states, urging them to advance what is known as the Judea and Samaria law. The proposed legislation would remove the term “West Bank” from official state documents and replace it with “Judea and Samaria.”
The gathering in Tallahassee
(Video: Samaria Regional Council)
Two days after lawmakers in Georgia announced they would promote such legislation, dozens of members of the Florida House of Representatives and Senate, Republicans and Democrats alike, convened Tuesday night in the state capital of Tallahassee and adopted a similar decision. The gathering was part of an ongoing initiative led by the Samaria Regional Council and a coalition of organizations operating under the banner "Friends of Samaria in the United States," which seeks to have as many states as possible advance the legislation.
In a statement issued by the Samaria Regional Council, Florida state Rep. Chase Tremont said at the event, “This is a great honor. In this law, we are demanding that all state documents refer to the area that some call the ‘West Bank’ by its historic and biblical name, the heartland of the Bible, Judea and Samaria. This legislation is about correcting and recognizing the truth, and we stand with it.” Rep. Jim Banks said, “This is about sovereignty, about restoring the historical foundation of what was truly taken from you. Many times, states have entered and changed names to strip identity and foundations. This step restores historical strength and sovereignty and enables the return to and holding of land that is yours by virtue of heritage. We stand with you on these issues.”
Democratic state Rep. Deborah Tendrich said, “This is important and meaningful legislation for us, and we truly need this path to send a message that we value our partnerships and our allies.” Dagan said in his address that “Judea and Samaria are not only buildings and roads, but first and foremost a value of justice. This legislation is a strategic step in defending the State of Israel, and therefore in defending the entire Western world, led by the United States. Especially after October 7, we all understand that construction and sovereignty in Judea and Samaria are essential to the security of Israel and the United States, and we stand together. Recognizing Judea and Samaria is recognizing justice and our shared values.”
The Samaria Regional Council’s initiative is part of a broader series of efforts by settlement leaders to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump into declaring sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. Dagan and other leaders in the area believe that the path toward such a declaration runs through securing recognition from a sufficient number of U.S. states, with the expectation that this momentum will reach the American president.
Beyond sovereignty, settlement leaders also seek to thwart any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. On the ground, radical changes are already physically disrupting any potential future Palestinian territorial continuity. At the diplomatic level, settlement leaders are now also working to block efforts by Gulf states to push Trump toward recognizing a Palestinian state.