Lawmakers on Capitol Hill vowed to back Israel’s right to build in Judea and Samaria and to block efforts to impose a building freeze on Israeli communities beyond the Green Line.
Samaria Regional Council chief Yossi Dagan met with members of Congress from both parties during his ongoing trip to Washington DC, which is aimed at coordinating opposition to efforts by the Biden administration to press Israel to freeze all construction in Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria.
During the past three days, Dagan has met with more than 20 Republicans and Democrats from both the Senate and the House.
Congressman Bob Good, a Republican who represents Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, vowed his support for Dagan’s efforts to prevent a building freeze.
“I am happy to be here with my friend from Israel, and I stand firm in my support – we stand strongly with you, and we respect and support your rights.”
Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District, also expressed his support.
“Welcome to Washington, Regional Council chairman. I want to thank you for the vision you’ve presented here, and I want you to know that there are great hopes and an expectation that better days are coming. We are full of appreciation for your work as Regional Council chairman of Samaria. You’ve shown that you can stand up to the pressure. Thank you. We stand by your side.”
Andy Barr, (KY-R), expressed his desire to visit Samaria in the future.
“I would definitely love to come back [to Israel] and visit Samaria and meet with the wonderful people who live there. We stand by you. The ties between us are unbreakable.”
Chuck Fleischmann (TN-R) called himself a “big supporter of you, the wonderful people living in Samaria.”
During his meeting with Dagan, New York Republican Lee Zeldin spoke with the Samaria chief about plans to organize US lawmakers in support of Israel’s rights to build in Judea and Samaria.
As a token of his appreciation, Dagan gave Zeldin a mezuzah from Joseph’s Tomb in the city of Shechem (Nablus) in Samaria.
Texas Republican Beth Van Duyne called Israel a “special ally of the US.”
