The launch of the Caucus
The launch of the CaucusAvi Dir

A record number of over 20 US lawmakers participated on Wednesday evening in Washington, DC, in the historic launch of the US Congressional Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus.

The event, which was held just days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, came to fruition after over a year of work by the Samaria Regional Council public relations department which included mutual meetings in Israel and the US.

Among those in attendance were over 20 congressmen and women, members of the incoming administration, individuals close to President-elect Trump, Evangelical Christian community leaders, and representatives of American Jewish communities.

In addition, the event hosted relatives of hostages being held in Gaza, including Aviva Siegel, who was released from captivity last year and whose husband, Keith, is still in captivity, and Yarden Gonen, whose sister Romi is still being held hostage.

The caucus was established at the initiative of Samaria Governer Yossi Dagan in partnership with Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), to deepen the connection between Israel and its allies in Congress and promote legislation that supports Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria.

The caucus will work to advance a new law to ban the use of the term "West Bank" in official US government documents and require the use of the term "Judea and Samaria." In addition, the caucus has begun working with the new administration to remove the sanctions on Israelis and to strengthen international support for Jewish settlement.

Yossi Dagan
Yossi DaganCredit: Avi Dir

Samaria Governor Yossi Dagan addressed the event: "We must work together and fight together for the future of Israel and the United States. If we fight together, we will win together. We all know that this isn't just a war about our security, it is not just a war against Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, it's a war between our civilization and the world of 3,000 years ago. Before October 7th and after October 7th, every child in Israel understands: Samaria is not just historical justice, it's the security belt of the State of Israel. But, I want to tell you that Judea and Samaria are also the security belt of the United States of America and the entire Western world."

Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Claudia Tenney noted: "I always wondered, why do we call this area the 'West Bank'? Why are we erasing the name of Judea and Samaria? I founded this caucus, partially and mostly, by inspiration from Yossi because he said 'Why don't we create a Judea and Samaria Caucus?'"

She added: "This is the time to tell the truth about the historical significance of Judea and Samaria."

Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) remarked: "Supporting Judea and Samaria is a vital part of standing with our greatest ally in the Middle East. I've absolutely seen the challenges the people in Judea and Samaria face. Their strength, determination, and commitment to building a brighter future is incredible."

Tom McClintock (R-CA) emphasized: "It's most important to stand for the fundamental principle of Israel's sovereignty over these lands. Judea and Samaria are an integral part of the historic lands of the Jewish civilization and the Jewish nation. Israel can never be safe and secure unless it has full sovereignty over its historic land."

credit: אבי דיר
credit: אבי דיר
credit: אבי דיר
credit: אבי דיר