The Palestinian Authority’s foreign affairs bureau sharply condemned US House Speaker Mike Johnson’s visit to the city of Ariel on Monday, which took place as part of his official visit to Israel.
In its condemnation statement, the PA described the city of Ariel as a “colony established on the lands of residents in the heart of the occupied West Bank.”
The visit, seen as a diplomatic milestone, was part of a senior delegation from the Trump administration. Johnson is the highest-ranking US official to visit Judea and Samaria in his official capacity to date and is considered the third most important figure in the US administration according to the Constitution.
The PA’s statement declared that “the visit constitutes a blatant violation of international law and legitimate international resolutions” and that Johnson’s remarks support the settlements, representing “a blatant provocation to efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire.”
During his speech, Mike Johnson said, "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."