US Ambassador Friedman to State Department: Stop Using The Term “Occupation”

US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has asked the United States State Department to stop referring to Judea & Samaria as “Occupied Territory”, and to stop calling Israeli control of those areas “Occupation.” Friedman suggested the use of “neutral terms” such as West Bank.

According to a report on Israel’s Kan Broadcasting Corporation, the State Department has objected to the request.

This is not the first time the Ambassador’s remarks have differed from the position of the State Department. In September, in an interview to The Jerusalem Post, Friedman called the Israeli control of Judea and Samaria an “alleged occupation” – a comment that forced the State Department to to clarify its position, and state that Friedman’s remarks did not reflect U.S policy or represent a change in it.

While the State Department may be opposed to Friedman’s position, the final word on the matter will belong to United State’s President Donald Trump, and if the President’s recent declarations regarding the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital are any indication – anything can happen.