Renowned Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight visited settlements in the West Bank on Wednesday in a show of support of Israel and its presence in the disputed territory.
The 83-years-old actor is a long-time supporter of the state, and has arrived in Israel to shoot a new movie.
During his visit, Voight reportedly asked why the region isn't called by its biblical name of Judea and Samaria.
“I don’t understand why Judea and Samaria is called the West Bank, when it’s clear that if you look at a map Samaria is at the heart of the land of Israel," the veteran movie star said, according to a statement from the Shomron Regional Council.
Yossi Dagan, the head of the regional council, continued by presenting Voight with a bottle of wine from the Har Bracha winery in the settlement near Nablus, adding that it was “a great honor to host an important actor like you and more importantly a friend of Israel.”
Voight is not only an avid supporter of Israel, but also a staunch proponent of the Chabad religious movement, making frequent appearances on the annual “To Life” Chabad telethon in Los Angeles.
He is politically conservative in left-leaning Hollywood, backing former president Donald Trump during the 2016 election and in 2019 calling him "the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln."
He was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2019 at a ceremony at the White House. The National Medal of Arts is the highest honor given by the US government to artists and arts patrons.
Republished with permission from i24NEWS