[Salon] U.S. House Foreign Affairs Chair Instructs Staff to Refer to West Bank as 'Judea and Samaria

FM: John Whitbeck

The HAARETZ report transmitted below states that a potentially imminent declaration by President Trump that the United States would recognize a formal Israeli annexation of the West Bank "would effectively serve as the final death knell for a two-state solution."

I disagree. It could and should have precisely the opposite effect, serving as a salutary wake-up call which inspires prompt and practical action to oppose such a blatant violation of international law, one which, if allowed to stand, could effectively serve as the final death knell of international law.

The United States does not determine international law. Like Israel, it treats it with contempt.

Only three of the 193 UN member states (Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay) have followed the American lead in recognizing Israel's illegal annexation of Palestinian East Jerusalem, and none have followed the American lead in recognizing Israel's illegal annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

The minimum appropriate response of the 47 UN member states which have not yet extended diplomatic recognition to the State of Palestine (List of Shame attached) to any formal US-supported Israeli annexation of the West Bank should be to join the other 146 UN member states, encompassing the overwhelming majority of mankind, which currently recognize the State of Palestine, within its clearly defined and UN-recognized borders (all of that portion of historical Palestine which Israel has ocupied since June 1967, nothing more and nothing less), even while its entire territory remains under Israeli occupation and without waiting for Israel's prior permission.

Those states which do not wish to be perceived as outlaw states supporting apartheid and genocide should then proceed to implement the second step proposed in an article of mine published in November 2023 (https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/11/27/two-solutions-for-the-question-of-palestine) -- imposing crippling sanctions against Israel for as long as it takes until it ends its illegal occupation and fully withdraws from the State of Palestine.

For decades, the Global West has justified taking no useful action whatsoever to end Israel's illegal occupation by pretending to believe, contrary to all evidence, that the occupation was temporary. A formal annexation declaration would strip the Global West of its excuse for inaction.

A formal annexation declaration may therefore not be something to fear. It could offer hope for positive change and progress toward peace with some measure of justice.

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2025-02-26/ty-article/.premium/u-s-house-foreign-affairs-chair-instructs-staff-to-call-west-bank-judea-and-samaria/00000195-439b-df18-a1fd-cbdb32820000

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Chair Instructs Staff to Refer to West Bank as 'Judea and Samaria'

Ben SamuelsFeb 26, 2025

WASHINGTON – Rep. Brian Mast, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, instructed committee staff to refer to the West Bank as "Judea and Samaria" in all official correspondence, communication, and documentation moving forward.

Mast's letter, sent to committee staff on Tuesday, is one of the most formal displays of Congressional support for Israel's potential annexation of the West Bank.

While other Republican lawmakers have previously introduced legislation supporting such name changes based on Israel's supposed right to the territory due to biblical roots, never before has such a move come from a powerful committee head.

"Long before Hamas killed Americans and Israelis on October 7, we saw vile acts meant to dehumanize Jewish people throughout the world and shatter Israelis' rights to live in peace," Mast wrote.

He added, "As a committee and as representatives of the American people, we must do our part to stem this reprehensible tide of antisemitism and recognize Israel's rightful claim to the cradle of Jewish civilization."

A general view of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat ,Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.Credit: Ohad Zwigenberg,AP

Mast was surprisingly tapped to chair the influential committee during the presidential transition after Trump advocated on his behalf. The Florida congressman has long been considered the U.S. lawmaker most hostile to the Palestinians. He has decried efforts to bolster humanitarian aid for Gaza and dismissed the notion of innocent Palestinian civilians.

"I don't think we would so lightly throw around the term 'innocent Nazi civilians' during World War II. It is not a far stretch to say there are very few innocent Palestinian civilians," he said in remarks that led to an unsuccessful effort in the House to formally rebuke him.

Mast, an evangelical Christian, once volunteered with the Israeli military, and he wore his uniform in Congress in the days after the October 7 attack. This was a way to protest Rep. Rashida Tlaib's placing of a Palestinian flag outside her office.

Mast has also condemned the concept of a two-state solution while spearheading legislation to permanently cut U.S. funding for the UNRWA refugee agency, among other hostile bills. He has also slammed U.S. efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and advocated for expedited and expanded weapons sales to Israel.

The memo, which is unenforceable to the committee's Democratic staff, comes one week before U.S. President Donald Trump's previously imposed deadline for deciding on whether the U.S. will recognize Israeli annexation of the West Bank, which would effectively serve as the final death knell for a two-state solution.

Since Trump's November election victory, settler groups and far-right supporters of Israel have proclaimed the president's return to the White House as an unprecedented opportunity to advance their cause – including the formation of a caucus dedicated to advancing the matter as well as direct lobbying from settler leaders and representatives.