Many have asked, “What’s the difference between Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, and the Occupied Territories?” In the Middle East conflict, vocabulary is very important. The vocabulary a person uses usually is a tell tale sign of that person’s political position.
For example, those that refer to the area generically known as the West Bank by their biblical names, Judea and Samaria, then it is safe to assume they believe Israel has a legitimate claim to that land. Those that call the West Bank the Occupied Territories, clearly do not believe Israel has a right to that land. By the way, the term West Bank refers to the land that is on the west bank of the Jordan River, which is alternatively called the Occupied Territories or Judea/Samaria.
Here’s a sign that uses the biblical terms: Judea and Samaria. It says, “Judea and Samaria: The story of every Jew.” Can you guess guess the political position of its designers?
