Top US Congressman Visits Israeli Settlement in West Bank, Sparks Outrage

US House Speaker Mike Johnson has drawn sharp criticism from Palestinian officials after visiting an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank — a move they slammed as a direct violation of international law.

Johnson, the most senior US official to set foot in a West Bank settlement, stopped by Ariel, a settlement north of Ramallah, on Monday. The visit comes at a time of mounting settler violence and military aggression in the region, with Palestinians accusing Israel of ramping up home demolitions, forced displacement, and deadly raids.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called the visit a “blatant violation of international law,” adding that it undermines both peace efforts and the two-state solution.

“All settlement activity is invalid and illegal,” the ministry said, calling out Washington for failing to stick to its stated opposition to settlement expansion and settler attacks.

During his visit, Johnson declared:

“Judea and Samaria are the front lines of the state of Israel and must remain an integral part of it,” using a biblical term for the occupied West Bank. “Even if the world thinks otherwise, we stand with you,” he told Israeli officials.

This statement raised eyebrows, especially given recent moves by some US allies to officially recognise a Palestinian state.

His trip also comes just weeks after two US citizens were reportedly killed in separate settler attacks in the West Bank, further inflaming tensions.

Critics say the visit sends the wrong message at a time when the region is already under intense strain from Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza and crackdowns in the West Bank.