Senator Tom Cotton Introduces Bill to Rename “West Bank” as “Judea and Samaria” in U.S. Documents

 Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at requiring all official U.S. documents and materials to use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of the commonly used “West Bank.” The bill, titled the Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria (RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria) Act, seeks to adopt historically and culturally accurate terminology for the region.

“The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria go back thousands of years,” Cotton said. “The U.S. should stop using the politically charged term ‘West Bank’ to refer to the biblical heartland of Israel.”

The legislation was co-introduced in the House by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY), who stressed the importance of aligning U.S. policy with Israel’s sovereignty over the area. “This bill reaffirms Israel’s rightful claim to its territory,” Tenney said. “At this critical moment, the United States must stand firmly with Israel and its undeniable connection to Judea and Samaria.”

The proposal underscores growing debates over language in U.S. policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with supporters arguing it strengthens ties with Israel, while critics view it as undermining potential peace efforts.