House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) has instructed committee staff to use the term “Judea and Samaria” to refer to the occupied West Bank, according to an internal memo distributed to staff.

The international community, including the US government, refers to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 as the West Bank and does not recognize Israeli sovereignty there. About 3 million Palestinians and half a million Jewish settlers live in the occupied West Bank.

Mast is a staunch defender of the Israeli occupation, settlements, and genocide of the Palestinians, and has often appeared in Congress dressed as an Israeli soldier to express his complete loyalty to Israel. Mast also owes his funding and victory to AIPAC, the leading Israeli lobby in the United States.

Changing the terminology used by the committee is a symbolic move that reflects support among many Republicans in Congress for recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, and forcing Palestinians to forcibly leave there.

It is noteworthy that the occupation of the West Bank and the Jewish settlements built there are considered a violation of international law, are illegal and must be dismantled.

A source with direct knowledge of Mast’s directive said the lawmaker sent the memo to the committee’s 50 Republican staffers on Tuesday. It is not binding on Democratic staffers.

“In recognition of our unbreakable bond with Israel and the inherent right of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will henceforth refer to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria in official correspondence, communications, and documents,” Mast wrote in his memo.

"Jewish roots in this region go back centuries," he added, "and as representatives of the American people, we must do our part to stem this reprehensible tide of anti-Semitism and recognize Israel's right to the cradle of Jewish civilization."

The Israeli occupation governments have not annexed the West Bank or officially applied Israeli law to it, despite the expansion of settlements and the displacement of Palestinian families by every Israeli government since the occupation on June 5, 1967.

According to Israeli sources, the Netanyahu government still uses the term West Bank in addition to Judea and Samaria.

During his press conference with Netanyahu three weeks ago, an Israeli reporter asked US President Donald Trump if he “supported Israeli sovereignty in the areas of Judea and Samaria,” and Trump said the White House was discussing the issue but had not yet taken a position.

“But we will probably make an announcement on that very specific topic within the next four weeks,” he said, referring to his speech to Congress next month.