The Tennessee General Assembly approved legislation this week barring state agencies from using the term “West Bank” in official materials and requiring them instead to refer to the territory as “Judea and Samaria,” sending the measure to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.
The bill, titled the “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act,” would prohibit Tennessee state agencies from using the term “West Bank” in guidance, rules, press releases, briefings, communications, and other official work product.
It would also bar the use of state funds to create material referring to the area as the West Bank, while allowing a waiver if the head of a state agency determines that doing so serves the state’s interest and submits a written explanation to lawmakers.
Republican lawmakers push for legislation along local Jews, Christian activists
The push for the legislation was led by Republican lawmakers, including State Sen. Mark Pody and State Rep. Chris Todd, alongside local Jewish and Christian activists.
Among its most prominent backers was Laurie Cardoza-Moore, founder of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, who testified in support of the bill and said the biblical names reflect what supporters describe as the area's historical and religious identity.
Cardoza-Moore said in a statement after the vote that the terminology debate is tied to what she called “truth, history, and our shared Judeo-Christian heritage.” She argued that using the biblical names pushes back against what supporters see as an effort to erase Jewish historical ties to the land.
The move comes amid a broader effort by pro-Israel evangelical and conservative groups in the US to promote the use of “Judea and Samaria” in place of “West Bank” in official and public discourse.