More than 200 evangelical leaders in the United States have signed an open letter urging US President Donald Trump to support any attempt by Israel to annex the West Bank "in the name of biblical truth".
In July, some Israeli ministers signed a petition calling for Israel to annex the region, which comprises the old biblical heartlands of Judea and Samaria. In recent weeks, Israeli authorities have approved more than 20,000 housing units in the area, alongside the demolition of many Palestinian-owned structures, leaving hundreds of people displaced.
Ahead of President Trump’s meeting at the White House on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—in which a 20-point peace deal in Gaza was agreed—the Family Research Council co-ordinated a letter by church leaders supporting Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
The letter, organised by the Christian conservative organisation, said: "Restricting or discouraging Israel's right to exercise sovereignty over the biblical heartland — Judea and Samaria — will not bring peace; it will only prolong conflict and increase threats, not only to the Jewish people but also to Palestinians who genuinely desire peace…
"Mr President, we urge you to resist the pressure of those who, through the 'death of a thousand cuts,' would dismantle Israel's claim to the land promised by God in Scripture and affirmed by history. America must not be a party to undermining what God has established and will continue to establish.
"Judea and Samaria are not only Israel's history, they are Israel's identity.
"Sovereignty over this land is Israel's God-given right, and for the sake of justice and lasting peace, it must be recognised."*
Judea and Samaria is an area widely recognised as Palestinian, but some Israeli authorities group it as part of Israel.
The signatories, who include pastors from Cornerstone Chapel in Virginia and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, said they stand firmly with the Jewish people and that Israel’s right to exercise sovereignty over Judea and Samaria would "align with biblical truth."
President Trump has previously said he would not allow any annexation of the West Bank by Israel.