Arizona lawmakers approved a nonbinding resolution rejecting “West Bank” for “Judea and Samaria,” while a separate bill narrows who can fly Israel flags in HOAs.
Arizona lawmakers have approved a resolution rejecting the term “West Bank” — a move that turns a naming dispute tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a state-level political flashpoint.
Arizona lawmakers reject “West Bank”
The measure, HCR 2047, sponsored by Rep.. David Livingston (R-Peoria). directs the Legislature’s formal position to refer to the area between what had been Israel’s pre-1967 border and neighboring Jordan and the Jordan River by biblical names: “Judea and Samaria.” It is nearly 2. 200 square miles. and it reflects the history of the Six Day War. when Israel gained control of the territory.
While Livingston frames the resolution as rejecting “West Bank” as “a modern political construct. ” opponents argue it risks signaling support for one side of the conflict over the other.. The resolution passed both chambers. but it does not have the force of law—meaning it won’t change how Arizona agencies administer programs or regulations.. Still, resolutions can matter in politics because they establish official state rhetoric.
That distinction is central to the debate. Even without legal authority, opponents say the Legislature is stepping into an international argument with real implications for Palestinians living in the area, where the population outweighs Jewish settlers.
Why critics call it more than a naming debate
Martin Quezada. general counsel for the Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. called the issue a humanitarian crisis rather than a distant academic disagreement.. He argued the policy question is felt worldwide—and in Arizona too—by people who view the situation with “deep moral concern.”
Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan (D) questioned why Arizona lawmakers should wade into a conflict that is often shaped by religion. sovereignty claims. and diplomacy.. Her warning wasn’t only about tone; it was also about precedent.. If lawmakers can constitutionalize or formally endorse one historical framing. she argued. they may open the door to rewriting other parts of American geography and identity in ways that invite endless political fights.
Sundareshan pointed out that “Arizona” itself wasn’t always the name on maps. long before statehood and even before it became Arizona Territory.. That argument landed with her colleagues as a “can of worms” moment: once a legislature starts codifying naming disputes from outside the state. it may be impossible to stop.
A religious-national movement, and a split among supporters
Livingston acknowledged the resolution fits a broader national push, saying as many as 20 states are considering similar measures.. The language in HCR 2047 comes almost verbatim from a draft associated with the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. which Livingston chairs in Arizona.. He also described travel tied to the group’s agenda, including a trip to Israel last Thanksgiving.
Supporters see biblical language as historical truth.. Pinchas Allouche. founding rabbi of Congregation Beth Tefillah in Scottsdale. argued the effort is not about asking Arizona to solve international diplomacy but about speaking to what he described as a long-standing name for the region.. He added that “West Bank” entered common use in a different political era.
Yet opponents say those frames are not neutral.. Civia Tamarkin, president of National Council of Jewish Women Arizona, said the resolution serves a political agenda beyond naming.. She argued it advances a “Christian nationalist” approach by embedding biblical language into what she described as American civic life. including education—an expansion of concerns that reach far beyond Arizona’s borders.
Rep.. Kiana Sears (D-Mesa) added that supporters’ claims of separating renaming from on-the-ground politics don’t hold up.. In her view, the measure is “appalling,” and it risks vilifying and mistreating the Islamic community.. Her critique reflects a broader pattern seen in states nationwide: disputes that start as “policy statements” or cultural arguments can quickly become debates about who belongs. whose narratives count. and how public officials should communicate in pluralistic societies.
A second bill targets HOA flag rules—Israel only
The West Bank fight is unfolding alongside another Israel-related measure this session—this one closer to everyday life. SB 1808 would change what flags homeowner and condominium associations in Arizona can allow.
Right now, the approved list already includes U.S.. and state flags. flags of an Indian nation. flags honoring first responders. historic American flags. and flags remembering prisoners of war and those missing in action.. Sen.. David Gowan (R-Sierra Vista) originally proposed adding flags from allied nations, but the bill was narrowed after amendments.. As passed by the Senate. it would allow only “a flag from a nation that is allied with the United States as a major non-NATO ally and that was established on May 1. 1948”—a definition that includes only Israel.
Gowan said he tailored the language around a constituent request: the bill is about enabling an HOA resident to fly an Israel flag.. Narrow drafting can reduce the number of political objections. and in practice it helped the bill move quickly—clearing the Senate 20-8 and gaining preliminary House approval.
Freedom of expression vs. managed speech
Not everyone agreed that narrowing the proposal was the right tradeoff.. Sen.. Mitzi Epstein (D-Tempe) argued the measure creates a government-sponsored boundary on what homeowners can display, calling it “censorship” of speech.. She said that a list—especially one shaped by a Republican-controlled process—favors some values over others.
Even Epstein, however, indicated she would vote yes for her Jewish constituents.. That split underscores a recurring tension in state policy debates: lawmakers may see symbolic action as moral alignment for one constituency. while critics see it as political pressure that affects everyone’s speech rights.
SB 1808 still needs a final House roll-call vote before it goes to the governor.. But together with HCR 2047. the session is making clear that Israel-related issues are not staying in federal foreign policy channels—they are becoming tools for state-level messaging. identity politics. and debates over whose historical narratives should be treated as official.
For Arizona, the immediate impact of the West Bank resolution is limited by its nonbinding nature.. The larger impact is political.. By approving a statement that rejects a commonly used geographic term. lawmakers have signaled that religiously grounded frames are finding an audience in state institutions—and that fights over language and symbolism may increasingly define how Arizona legislates culture. speech. and identity.