At a February 5th press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump was asked whether he supports Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank). "We're discussing that… and people do like the idea, but we haven't taken a position on it yet," President Trump replied. "We'll be making an announcement, probably on that very specific topic, over the next four weeks."

What does Sovereignty for Israel Mean?

Right now, Israel has different laws governing Judea and Samaria and the rest of Israel. Israelis are not free to build homes and businesses without special approval, and buildings are often demolished. Much of this is due to international pressure, with the US, EU and UN demanding that Israel hand over these territories for the creation of a Palestinian State. Sovereignty would mean the end to questions about the future, regarding who will control the region.

Olive tree in the mountains near Itamar

The international community also insists on calling Judea and Samaria, “the West Bank,” a name given to it by Jordan, after it occupied the area following Israel’s war of Independence. The continued use of the name “the West Bank,” even after Israel captured these areas in the Six Day War, is part of an intentional effort to deny Israel’s 3000-year history in the region, and their rights to the land. After all, who can deny that Jews belong in Judea?

Myriads of resolutions have been passed by the United Nations, trying to force Israel to relinquish Judea and Samaria, and successive White House administrations have tried for decades to pressure Israel to make various land concessions.

The Future of the Heartland

But Judea and Samaria are the very heartland of Israel. It’s in these areas that most Jewish History in Israel took place. And for thousands of years, except for brief periods when they were exiled and murdered, the Jewish People have maintained a continual presence in these areas. Located in Judea and Samaria are cities with so much Jewish History, places like Shiloh, Hebron, and Bethlehem, and many other places you read about in the Bible. Many people are not aware of which parts of Israel are in the balance when it comes to discussions about a Palestinian State. It’s very important for Christians especially, to realize that it’s not a random piece of land at stake here. In fact, included in the land that many want to tear away from Israel is Elon Moreh, the very spot where Abraham (then Abram) stood and God promised him, “To your descendants I will give this land.” 

What is your position?

In a survey of 1200 American Christians, conducted shortly after the massacres of October 7, 2023, support for a “Two-State Solution” came in at 81%. How can this be? How can a vast majority of Christians support the division of the Land God promised to Israel forever?

I believe a clue can be found in another question asked in the same survey: “Which of the following have influenced your opinions about Israel?” Fifty-six percent of respondents said the media influenced their opinion, while just twenty-seven percent said the Bible. There seems to be a clear disconnect here. How can we know who the Land belongs to if our views have no foundation?

A view from the Samarian Mountains

God promised the Land of Israel to the Jewish People forever, His word makes that very clear. Though many Jews were dispersed from the Land in the first and second centuries BCE, the Bible contains many prophecies foretelling their return, such as this one in Ezekiel, where God says, “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.” In Amos, God promises a permanence of the Jewish People in the Land, “‘I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,’ says the Lord your God.”

The best place to start when trying to understand what our position on Israel should be is in the word of God. He promises a future where violence will no longer be heard in the Land and we know that one day, His presence will dwell among us.

Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria appears as a very real possibility in the near future, but it’s far from guaranteed. Though we know that Israel will one day take full possession of its promised land, we don’t know if it will be in our generation, or if there will be many more years of blood, terror and sacrifice to hold on to the Land. We have a choice now, aptly expressed by Mordechai to Esther: “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

How you can make a difference

Blessed Buy Israel provides just one way for you to strengthen the people of Judea and Samaria, but there are many other things you can do to strengthen Israeli sovereignty.

• Learn more about Judea and Samaria. The rich history, geography and current events will help you be a more effective advocate. Here’s a good place to start:
• Visit Judea and Samaria: There are trips you can take to Judea and Samaria to visit many of the amazing places and connect to the many strong families of faith living there.
• Raise your voice: Be an advocate for Israeli sovereignty over all its Land. Raise awareness in your communities and let your leaders know where you stand.