The ambiguity over who is sovereign in Judea & Samaria has created both domestic and international harm to the State of Israel.
The international community didn’t seem bothered too much by Jordan’s illegal occupation of Judea & Samaria from 1949-1967, but when Jordan was evicted from the region by Israel after the 6-Day War, and Israel established a presence throughout the region without effectively declaring sovereignty, Israel opened the door to international condemnation.
The lack of clear Israeli sovereignty in Judea & Samaria has created real damage to Israel’s well being – from a national security perspective, to international diplomacy, to its identity as the Jewish state.
That ambiguity has led many to think of the West Bank as a kind of “Wild West” where there is no clear governance or rule of law. This does tremendous harm to the Israelis and the Arabs who live in the region.
AFJS will educate the public on both the damage that the lack of Israel sovereignty does to the State of Israel and how the application of sovereignty will benefit all who live in the region, and the State of Israel.
Judea & Samaria is constantly growing. It has the highest birth rates in the country, thus continually requiring additional housing and infrastructure. AFJS will educate the public on the status of projects - planned, under development and completed - which demonstrate the vibrancy of these communities, and dedication to expanding and prospering in the Land of Israel.
Despite the fact that it was only 19 years (1948-1967) that Israel did not have a presence in Judea & Samaria, the region has consistently suffered from significant underdevelopment. The Israeli government's master plans for development and the investment of major infrastructure typically avoided this region.
Recently, that attitude has begun to change. Slowly, master plans are now being developed throughout the region for mass transit, expansion of roads, improvement of water, electricity infrastructure, the development of industrial parks business parks as well investments to protect the environment.
AFJS is committed to facilitating the development strategic master plans to facilitate residential and commercial development that benefits all of the residents in Judea & Samaria.
Just as in Biblical times, when Judea & Samaria was the home of many farms, shepherds, and orchards, AFJS will reinvigorate the area and provide support for the development of modern
methods of sustainable farming as well as agricultural ventures that will preserve the integrity and security of the land.
AFJS arranges leadership missions to Judea & Samaria.
The missions are designed to provide a behind the scenes understanding of the current situation in Judea & Samaria and will include meetings with senior officials in the Cabinet, Knesset, Mayors of Judea & Samaria, IDF, as well as business leaders and social services in Judea & Samaria.
The trip will also include a winery or two and some unique Biblical sites and will leave participants with a greater understanding of both the challenges and opportunities that are facing the Israeli residents of Judea & Samaria.
AFJS will also facilitate Israeli leaders from Judea & Samaria to visit communities in the US and present their reality to American audiences.
