The Palestinian Authority brands Mike Johnson’s landmark visit to Ariel a “blatant violation of international law,” after the US House Speaker declares Judea and Samaria “belong to the Jewish people by right.”
Ramallah — The Palestinian Authority’s foreign affairs bureau has issued a fierce condemnation of US House Speaker Mike Johnson’s visit to Ariel on Monday, denouncing it as an endorsement of Israeli settlements in what it calls “occupied territory.”
In a sharply worded statement, the PA described Ariel as a “colony established on the lands of residents in the heart of the occupied West Bank”, warning that the visit “constitutes a blatant violation of international law and legitimate international resolutions.” The PA accused Johnson of provoking efforts to secure a ceasefire and undermining international diplomatic initiatives.
The visit is seen as a diplomatic milestone — Johnson is the highest-ranking US official ever to visit Judea and Samaria in an official capacity. Under the US Constitution, he is considered the third most powerful figure in the American government after the President and Vice President.
Speaking in Ariel, Johnson underscored his personal and political support for Israel’s claims to Judea and Samaria:
“Every corner of this land is important to us. Being here, in the place where our faith began — this has great significance. The Bible teaches that Judea and Samaria were promised to the Jewish people, and they belong to you by right. The world may not see it this way, but we do.”
Johnson’s visit formed part of a senior US delegation from the Trump administration, reinforcing longstanding Republican backing for Israel’s settlement enterprise and signaling continued bipartisan tensions over US policy toward the West Bank.
