Lawmakers in Israel and the US have introduced bills to replace the term “West Bank” with the biblical names “Judea and Samaria,” aligning with Israel’s long-standing claims over the occupied territory.
Home to about three million Palestinians, the West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Critics say the renaming effort is part of a broader campaign to justify Israel’s control over Palestinian lands.
Experts argue that such a move ignores international law, which recognizes the West Bank as occupied territory. The UN and the International Court of Justice have repeatedly condemned Israeli settlements in the area.
The proposed change also reflects growing US-Israeli alignment, especially under figures like Trump’s UN nominee Elise Stefanik, who recently stated that Israel has a “biblical right” to the entire region.
