Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, known for his pro-Israel views, said he is “convinced” from his reading of the Bible, that Judea and Samaria are the ‘rightful homeland’ of the Jewish people.
Former U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who pushed ardent pro-Israel policies during his time in office under former President Donald Trump, said on Thursday that he believes the territories of Judea and Samaria are the “rightful home” of the Jewish People.
While speaking to the One Decision Podcast, which features former senior diplomats and government officials from around the world, Pompeo added that the Trump administration viewed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as a terrorist.
When Pompeo explained the Trump administration’s decision to end billions of dollars of funding to the PA, he used Abbas’ kunya, Abu Mazen. Abbas is often referred to as Abu Mazen by Israeli officials and the Hebrew language press.
“Our theory of the case was this — what is in America’s best interest? Is it to sit and wait for Abu Mazen, a known terrorist who’s killed lots and lots of people, including Americans, and given those martyrs money, for having done so?” Pompeo said, referencing Abbas’ pay-for-slay policy. Abbas has vowed to never halt the program, which rewards terrorists and their families with monthly cash stipends, despite international pressure.
“We said that’s just not in America’s best interest.”
“This land, as an Evangelical Christian, I am convinced from my reading of the Bible that 3,000 years onto now, in spite of the denial of so many, is the rightful homeland of the Jewish people,” Pompeo said. “We should support Israel in its efforts. They’ll find their own way to an outcome.”