The visit was initiated by the Yesha Council settler lobby in coordination with the U.S.-Israel Education Association, a conservative pro-Israeli advocacy group. The trip was not an official congressional delegation and was designated as a private trip, according to Axios.
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US House Speaker Mike Johnson (second from right) visits the West Bank with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee (left) and members of the Yesha Council
(Photo: Yesha Council)
“It is a great honor for me to be the most senior figure to officially cross the Green Line," Speaker Johnson told local leaders during his visit. "Judea and Samaria are Israel’s front line. The Bible teaches that the hills of Judea and Samaria were promised to the Jewish people and belong to you by right. The world may not see it that way—but we do. I want to thank you, the leaders of the Yesha Council, for your leadership and courage during these challenging times. May God bless you and all the people of Israel.”
Yisrael Gantz, chairman of the Benjamin Regional Council and chair of the Yesha Council, said: “It is a great honor to host here in Judea and Samaria the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. We thank you for coming here and for being a true ally of the State of Israel. We are blessed with an American administration under President [Donald] Trump, which chooses the right side of history and walks hand in hand with the State of Israel."
Gantz called for international recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank. “Today, we present to you a diplomatic initiative calling to apply the sovereignty of the State of Israel over Judea and Samaria and declare to the whole world that the territories of Judea and Samaria are once again an eternal part of the Jewish state. This step will lead to prosperity and improve the quality of life for everyone living here. We feel your support in advancing this vision, and we are deeply grateful that you came and expressed your support here in Judea and Samaria," he said.
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US House Speaker Mike Johnson visits the West Bank with congressmen and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee
(Photo: Yesha Council)
Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, told Johnson that it “is an honor for me to convey to you the great appreciation and love of all the citizens of the State of Israel, especially the pioneers building Judea and Samaria, the land of the Bible. We are partners. We live on both sides of the ocean—but our hearts are one.
“We appreciate your leadership, your stand for historical justice—the right of the State of Israel—and especially for the pioneers building Judea and Samaria, the land of the Bible. Our sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is historical justice and the security belt of the State of Israel.”
At the end of the event, Dagan and Gantz presented a symbolic gift on behalf of the residents of Judea and Samaria to the speaker as a symbol of their special bond and deep appreciation for him.
Attorney Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel, who participated in Speaker Johnson's visit, said, "This is a historic moment. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said that while America has many allies and friends in the world, it has only one true partner: Israel. Today's visit proves this beyond any doubt. This is a clear expression of President Trump's unwavering support for Israel, and recognition that Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria is not an obstacle to peace—but rather an expression of the Jewish people's historical and legal right to their land."
