President Donald Trump’s pick to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations has become the latest administration nominee to express the belief that Israel has “biblical” dominion over the occupied West Bank.
Elise Stefanik’s comment on Tuesday came during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she also pledged to further Trump’s “America First” mission.
“If confirmed, I stand ready to implement President Trump’s mandate from the American people to deliver America First, peace-through-strength national security leadership on the world stage,” she said during her opening statements.
If confirmed as ambassador, Stefanik explained she would audit US funding for the UN and its constellation of agencies. She would also seek to counter China’s influence at the international organisation and bolster Washington’s staunch support for Israel.
But it was her views on the West Bank that signalled the starkest contrast between the Trump administration and that of his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
Stefanik was definitive when asked if she shared the view of far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir that Israel has a “biblical right to the entire West Bank”.
“Yes,” she replied during the exchange with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen.
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