A coalition of more than 200 American evangelical leaders has publicly urged President Trump to recognize Israel’s claim to Judea and Samaria, calling the territory not merely historic but central to Israel’s identity and security. The Family Research Council organized the letter, which frames U.S. support for Israel as both a moral and strategic imperative at a moment when friends of freedom must stand firm. This is what leadership looks like: pastors and civic leaders refusing to be silent while radical narratives try to erase the historical truth about Israel’s heartland.
The letter bluntly warns against the familiar, destructive chorus pushing concessions that amount to surrender, insisting that recognizing sovereignty over the biblical heartland will promote justice and a durable peace rather than prolonging conflict. Evangelical signers rightly reject soft-headed diplomacy that treats ancient covenants and vital security interests as bargaining chips. Americans who cherish both faith and freedom should applaud this clarity and urge the president to convert words into policy.
This appeal to the White House comes as Israel faces stiff choices on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, and as Prime Minister Netanyahu continues high-level consultations with U.S. leaders. A strong U.S.-Israel alliance anchored in shared values and mutual defense is exactly the posture that keeps terror at bay and preserves the only true democracy in the region. Weakness and equivocation invite aggression; firm American backing gives Israel the leverage it needs to secure its people and pursue realistic peace.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains volatile as the White House presses a ceasefire framework and Hamas weighs a response, even as Israeli forces intensify pressure on terror strongholds. Reports say President Trump’s proposal demands Hamas disarm, free hostages, and accept an international transition, and that Israel has signaled acceptance while awaiting Hamas’s reply. Conservative Americans should be clear-eyed: negotiating from strength, not appeasement, is the only way to stop recurring terror campaigns and protect both Israelis and moderate Palestinians who want normalcy.
Evangelical voices are right to insist that calling the land the “West Bank” sanitizes history and political reality; Judea and Samaria are the rightful, biblical description and reflect the region’s true heritage. Those who preach compromise without regard for security or history are offering a recipe for more violence, not reconciliation. If Washington wants a practical, lasting settlement, it must center negotiations on the defeat of terrorism and on protecting the Jewish state’s legitimate claims.
President Trump now faces a choice that will define his legacy and America’s standing: bow to the tired, bipartisan habit of hollow concessions, or stand with allies who defend liberty and historical truth. Conservative patriots should urge the White House to heed the evangelicals’ plea, recognize Israel’s rights in Judea and Samaria, and insist any deal with Hamas include full disarmament and hostage returns. History rewards the bold; our children will inherit the consequences of whichever path we choose today.
