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Arkansas Legislature Recognizes 'Judea and Samaria' as 'Israel's Biblical Heartland'

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Shivani Chauhan
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The Arkansas Legislature has officially recognized 'Judea and Samaria' as 'Israel's Biblical Heartland <br> Image Credit: GILI YAARI/FLASH90
The Arkansas House of Representatives, steered by the Republican majority, recently approved a unique resolution that fosters trade with Israel and distinctively mentions “Judea and Samaria,” the biblical designation for the West Bank often used by the Israeli government. This move is seen as the state's recognition of Israel's biblical ties to the disputed region.
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A Historic Resolution Recognizing Israel’s Biblical Heartland

Passed last month, the resolution states, "the State of Arkansas, which lies in America’s heartland, has a special kinship with Judea and Samaria, Israel’s biblical heartland." It also highlights the similarity in names of several cities across Arkansas with biblical cities situated in Judea and Samaria, such as Bethel, Hebron, Shiloh, Salem, among others.
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This non-binding resolution is the most recent example of Republican endorsement for Israeli territorial claims in the West Bank. It also presents a shift from the bipartisan support for an independent Palestinian state that had prevailed. Under the Trump administration in 2019, U.S. policy had altered to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, whereas the current Biden administration does not acknowledge Israel’s claims to the territory.

Encouraging Enhanced Cooperation with Israel

The resolution in question encourages the Arkansas government to enhance its ties with Israel beyond a memorandum of understanding signed last year promoting technical and scientific collaboration. The resolution also advocates exploring "additional strategic partnerships" across diverse fields such as "education, history, religion, archaeology, agriculture, and innovation."
The resolution, sponsored by Republican State Rep. Mindy McAlindon, marks one of the first formal recognitions of the name 'Judea and Samaria'. McAlindon, in consultation with Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, stated that her primary goal was to establish U.S. recognition of the territory as belonging to Israel. Her motivation, she shared with the Jewish Press, was to emphasize not only the legal status of the settlements in Judea and Samaria, but also the special bond many Arkansas citizens feel with these regions due to their biblical significance.
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