Oppose erasing Palestinian identity and rights through language manipulation

The proposed legislation to prohibit the use of the term "West Bank" and mandate referring to the occupied Palestinian territories as "Judea and Samaria" is deeply concerning. This move appears aimed at obfuscating the reality of Israel's continued occupation and human rights violations in these territories. The attempt to erase the internationally recognized term "West Bank" is a politicized effort to legitimize Israel's illegal annexation of Palestinian lands through enforced linguistic changes. Such a unilateral redefinition disregards the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and undermines prospects for a just and lasting peace. This bill perpetuates the oppression of Palestinians by denying the existence of occupied territories and the need to uphold their human rights. It dismisses international laws and UN resolutions affirming Palestinian rights in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. Promoting the Israeli nationalist narrative over established facts enables further entrenched occupation. I urge you to oppose this legislation that whitewashes injustice through manipulative language. Focus instead on upholding human rights, achieving a negotiated settlement respecting Palestinian sovereignty, and facilitating a viable two-state solution with secure borders for both peoples. Legislating language substitutions is a disingenuous attempt to erase an entire population's identity and legitimate grievances.