Evangelical Trump supporters push for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Judea & Samaria

Evangelical Christian supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump are pushing for greater recognition of Israeli ownership over the territories of Judea and Samaria, including full annexation and a declaration of sovereignty, as happened with the Golan Heights during Trump’s previous term. 

The calls from Evangelical leaders to support Israeli sovereignty over the territories have come in several venues. 

Last week, a delegation of Evangelical leaders, including Faith & Freedom Coalition founder Ralph Reed, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, and Pastor Mario Bramnick, the president of the Latino Coalition for Israel, visited Israel to publicly call for Israel to declare sovereignty over the disputed territory. 

The delegation of Evangelical leaders arrived in Israel for the launch of the Conference of Christian Presidents, an umbrella organization of pro-Israel faith groups modeled after the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, held at the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem. 

“We strongly support and think it is imperative that Israeli sovereignty be expressed, extended and recognized over Judea and Samaria,” Ralph Reed told JNS during the visit. “Recognizing Israeli sovereignty is indispensable for Israel to provide security to its own people.” 

Perkins said that “we support you in your right to exercise sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.” 

Pastor Bramnick said, “God has given Israel a blank check with the election of Trump.” 

Meanwhile, speaking at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Dallas, Texas, last week, Terri Copeland Pearsons, daughter of televangelist Kenneth Copeland, said, “We Christians are calling on our beloved President Trump and his team to aggressively remove all barriers to Israel’s sovereignty over all the land, including Judea and Samaria.” 

The statement came as part of an Evangelical resolution, unveiled at the NRB conference, endorsing Israeli sovereignty over the disputed territory. 

At the same time, Former Arkansas Governor, and Trump pick for Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has also openly declared his support for Israeli control of Judea and Samaria, while also affirming that a decision by the U.S. to recognize such is a decision that belongs to the president. 

Huckabee has also stated that the decision to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria is a decision “for Israel to make.” 

Huckabee, who has publicly refused to call the territory by the internationally used term “West Bank,"  said that for him, there is no such thing. 

“I can’t say something I don’t believe. As you well know, I’ve never been willing to use the term ‘West Bank.' There is no such thing. I speak of Judea and Samaria,” he told JNS in an interview after Trump announced his selection for Ambassador to Israel. 

Huckabee recently met with Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, who is currently in Washington to strengthen support for increased Israeli settlement in Judea and Samaria, if not outright annexation of the territories. 

In their meeting, Dagan told him, "We are waiting for you in Judea and Samaria, in the State of Israel. You are a true friend of Israel, and especially of the Jewish pioneers building Judea and Samaria. We appreciate you greatly, and I, personally, am looking forward to working with you in Israel."

Huckabee, who is still waiting for his confirmation as ambassador, told Dagan, "I am not the ambassador yet, but I hope to be, and hope to be very soon. I look forward to coming once again to Judea and Samaria, revisiting the people there and the remarkable land, the land that God gave, and the land that it is a blessing to be part of at any time.” 

While in the U.S., Dagan also met with Massad Boulos, Trump’s pick for Middle East envoy, and the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter, Tiffany. 

During their meeting, Dagan presented Boulos with a bottle of “Trump Victory” wine from the Kabir Winery in Elon Moreh, in Judea and Samaria. 

Receiving the wine, Boulos told Dagan, "It is a pleasure to convey through you my appreciation to the people of Samaria. To my brothers and sisters in Israel and Lebanon, we look forward to peace and yearn for peace, and with God’s help, hopefully it will come soon. I deeply appreciate it." 

Dagan responded to Boulos, "I believe and also know that the Creator sent us to work together for the future of the Middle East and the world. Especially after Oct. 7 – we are together, and we will work together.” 

Trump is expected to make an official statement regarding the U.S. position on Judea and Samaria. After meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, Trump refused to take an official position, saying, “People do like the idea, but we haven't taken a position on it yet. We'll be making an announcement probably on that very specific topic over the next four weeks.”