Portrait of Elise Stefanik
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Elise Stefanik on West Bank

Backs biblical Israeli claim (strong)

TL;DR

Elise Stefanik affirmed a belief that Israel possesses a biblical right to the entire West Bank during her UN confirmation hearing.

Key Points

  • She confirmed "Yes" when asked if she shared the view that Israel has a “biblical right to the entire West Bank” during her January 21, 2025, UN confirmation hearing.

  • She refused to give a direct answer when pressed on whether the Palestinian people have a right to self-determination.

  • The Congresswoman has consistently advocated for permanently cutting off United States funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Summary

Elise Stefanik, during her Senate confirmation hearing for the United States ambassador to the United Nations position, explicitly stated that she shared the view that Israel has a “biblical right to the entire West Bank.” This stance aligns her with far-right Israeli political figures and marks a sharp contrast with the long-standing, traditional U.S. policy favoring a two-state solution. When pressed by a Senator, the nominee confirmed her affirmative view on this claim, which runs counter to numerous UN Security Council resolutions regarding Israeli settlements in occupied territories.

Furthermore, the Congresswoman declined to directly answer a question about whether Palestinian people have the right to self-determination, pivoting instead to state that Palestinians deserve human rights and must be better served than by their current terrorist leaders. In addition to her comments on the West Bank, Stefanik also renewed her call to permanently cut off United States funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), citing alleged staff participation in terrorist attacks and the organization's handling of aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Elise Stefanik affirmed during her UN confirmation hearing that she believes Israel has a "biblical right to the entire West Bank." This statement aligns her with certain far-right Israeli positions and contrasts with the traditional U.S. stance on the occupied territories.

When directly asked if she supported self-determination for Palestinians, Elise Stefanik sidestepped the question. She instead asserted that Palestinian people deserve human rights and should have better leadership than terrorist organizations.

Elise Stefanik renewed her long-standing call to permanently cut off United States funding to UNRWA. She cited the agency's alleged connection to Hamas, including staff participation in the October 7th attacks, as justification for ending aid.