Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Binyamin Council Chairman Yisrael Gantz met in the United States to discuss ways to strengthen settlement of Judea and Samaria and the Binyamin area.
In these days when Joe Biden's new US administration is formulating its policy positions regarding the Middle East, the head of the Binyamin Council sees importance in harnessing prominent forces in American politics especially during this period to protect and strengthen settlement.
Yisrael Gantz's meeting with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a representative of the Republican Party, took place at the governor's office, who gave his wishes for the strengthening of Binyamin and said that the residents of Binyamin, Judea and Samaria can see him as a partner who will do everything possible to prevent a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel. He said the US will also later help bring about Israel's full application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
At the meeting, the head of the council and the governor discussed the challenges in this area and the potential that the Binyamin area has among the millions of American citizens who see it as the land of the Bible intended for the people of Israel.
Gantz said to the governor: "The people of Israel are happy and proud to meet partners in the path of truth that know how to differentiate between good and evil and strengthen the State of Israel and settlement. As governor of Tennessee, I am happy that Binyamin has found a close friend who will work to preserve our important and shared values with respect to protecting the Land of Israel, and in general."
As part of the trip to the United States, CGantz is holding additional meetings with government officials in the United States to promote cooperation and connections between communities in New York and communities in the Binyamin.
He met with a number of senators, members of Congress and government officials from New York City. In the meetings, Ganz described the significant development that is taking place in settlement of Judea and Samaria and in the areas of the Binyamin Regional Council that surrounds Jerusalem, in the process of developing construction, infrastructure, improving employment centers and establishing an advanced medical center. Gantz emphasized the main challenge he faces, which is the development of transportation infrastructure in all of Binyamin and the Jerusalem envelope area.
Gantz told representatives he met with that "if the countries of the world really wanted to help the Palestinians, they would strengthen the hand of the Israeli government to apply sovereignty, for the development of roads and the region." He said that "it is the Palestinians who turn to the council and ask for help in these areas. The Palestinian Authority does not care about any of this."
At the meetings, the participants were given a special gift - a copy of an ancient urn from the Mishkan site in ancient Shiloh.