Calling things by their right names - Judea and Samaria

There are many who think that the terms Judea and Samaria are used only by right wing extremists, the fanatically religious, Biblical loonies and other assorted nut cases. In fact, most of the world thinks this way, but that doesn’t make it right.

If we actually look at the famous UN (Partition) Resolution 181 of 1947 (really no more than a Recommendation, but that’s another story), especially:
Part II. - Boundaries
A. THE ARAB STATE
"The boundary of the hill country of Samaria and Judea starts on the Jordan River at the Wadi Malih south-east of Beisan and runs due west to meet the Beisan-Jericho road and then follows the western side of that road in a north-westerly direction to the junction of the boundaries of the Sub-Districts of Beisan, Nablus, and Jenin....." etc.

The point being, of course, that this is what that land has always been called, including in a document as auspicious as this one, oft-quoted , but rarely read, written by no less than the UN itself, and (erroneously) considered a foundation document of Israeli history.

Of course those who illegally conquered it in 1948/49 had to change the name.
Judea = The Jews, definitely not good for the cause, and so a more neutral, anodyne, almost romantic name was selected i.e. The West Bank.  Romantic, as one is reminded of Paris's Left Bank (well, I am).

Since then, the world has participated in the continuing de-Judaization of what was both the heart of the ancient Jewish home, as well as being assigned by the League Mandate for reconstitution of a Jewish National Home in Palestine.

Language is extremely important in politics, as it constitutes the basis for discourse, and conditions all thinking about it.
This neutral language makes it seem almost natural that this was always destined to be part of a Palestinian State, if not part of an illusory pre-existing sovereign Palestinian State.

Let us banish this name from our discourse once and for all, and call the thing what it is, and always has been called.  And when opponents of Zionism accuse you of being a right-wing extremist or Biblical fanatic, just refer them the always right (sic) United Nations, Resolution 181.

© George Peters

Melbourne, Australia

2013