During a recent campaign stop, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that he was the only candidate who would extend Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, because he truly believes in the Bible.

Speaking to children at a religious school in the Jewish settlement of Mitzpe Yericho, the prime minister encouraged them to continue studying the Bible, to continue praying.

“What you are doing here is for the redemption of Israel,” he said. “Everything we do is built on spiritual empowerment.”

Netanyahu went on to note that he reads the Bible every week:

“Every Shabbat I read the weekly Torah portion many times over with my son, Avner. And I don’t just say the words. I live it. I breath it! I believe it!”

Taking what many saw as a solemn vow, the prime minister stated: “I dedicate my life to the simple fact that the future of the Land of Israel [ie. Judea and Samaria] is in the State of Israel.”