Trump Recognizes Israeli Communities

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “This policy reflects an historical truth - that the Jewish people are not foreign colonialists in Judea and Samaria.  In fact, we are called Jews because we are the people of Judea. . . Israel is deeply grateful to President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and the entire U.S. administration for their steadfast position supporting truth and justice and calls upon all responsible countries who hope to advance peace to adopt a similar position.”

This new Trump policy also helps weaken the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement which attempts to undermine and destabilize Israel and use economic tools to boycott Israeli goods and services and punish individuals and entities supporting Israel. It uses harassment and intimidation to turn Israel’s supporters against the country and distorts reality and facts to apply maximum, harmful pressure on the Jewish state of Israel and on the Jewish people. For years, the Palestinians have attempted to force the Jewish people to give up their land in Judea and Samaria. During the Obama administration, the U.S. forced Israel to stop building in the West Bank and that has had serious direct implications for the Israeli economy.

Israel captured the Golan Heights, or Bashan as it was known, in the 1967 Six-Day War against Syria. The U.S. since referred to the Golan Heights as “Israeli-occupied” land rather than owned by Israel, which under international law it had a right to claim as territory gained in a defensive war. Today, approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the two areas.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “We commend the President Trump for again affirming Israel by recognizing the legal status of Israeli communities in the so-called West Bank - biblical Judea and Samaria. He has already officially recognized the Golan Heights as territory of Israel. In fact, the State Department's annual report on human rights violations around the world has finally dropped reference to the West Bank in Israel as ‘occupied’ for the first time since 1979. The relationship between Israel and America is the best it has ever been due to President Trump’s leadership. I applaud him for being a great friend to the Jewish people and keeping yet another promise.”