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US Speaker says West Bank belongs to Jews ‘by right’ in settlement visit

The Times of Israel, 4/8/25:-"US Speaker says West Bank belongs to Jews ‘by right’ in settlement visit.Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson says that the “mountains of Judea and Samaria” belong to the Jewish people “by right,” during a visit to the West Bank settlement of Ariel, according to a statement by the settlement’s municipal authority.Johnson, who is among the most senior US officials to ever visit a West Bank settlement, speaks at a celebratory event attended by Ariel Mayor Yair Chetboun and the mayors of other West Bank settlements.“Every corner of this land is important to us. It is an integral part of our faith, and therefore the significance for us is great… We stand entirely by your side,” says Johnson, according to the statement.“Scripture teaches us that the mountains of Judea and Samaria were promised to the Jewish people, and they belong to them by right. But many people around the world do not see it like this, they label it the ‘occupied territories’ or the ‘West Bank’ or any other name,” he adds. “Every mayor here should know exactly where we stand regarding this issue — and we stand with you.”His spokesperson does not respond to a request for comment."Wikipedia:-"Ariel is an Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central West Bank, part of the Israeli-occupied territories, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was 20,520 in 2022, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the former Soviet Union, with an additional influx of above 10,000 students from Ariel University. It is the fourth largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit, and Ma'ale Adumim.The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this."Google:-"Yes, Ariel is considered an illegal Israeli settlement under international law. The international community, including the United Nations, views the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.Article 49(6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of a civilian population into occupied territories."

David Ainsworth ● 9d6 Comments

We have closed communities here led by Christian control freaks who tell their new converts that they must leave their families.  Every so often there is a scandal and we hear more about them.  Every so often members manage to leave but it can be difficult leaving everything you know behind. Worldwide there are scandals publicised every so often where a whole sect is poisoned or starved to death for some religious belief or other.Different groups with vociferous and charismatic preachers with differing views on the meaning of particular religious passages break away from each other and form new sects.  Some of them do business only within their community and have their own schools.

Philippa Bond ● 6d

Mr Hawkes. Difficult to say, I guess indoctrination from an early age without access to the scientific process and alternative sources of knowledge? I've heard of examples in the US where it's the result of home schooling with denying access to other information that conflicts with the parents beliefs. 

Michael Ixer ● 8d

Mr Ixer'In the same way many would be surprised that dismissal of modern science such as evolution, particularly with the ability now to track changes via DNA analysis, would assist medical research?'Why do you think fundamentalist Christians and Muslims believe this ?

John Hawkes ● 8d

Interesting. Of course, if one's an atheist and, hence, God doesn't exist, then quoting ancient tests which would have been written by a man (ok, possibly a woman) has little meaning compared with resolutions agreed after recent discussions at the UN (keep in mind one of those justifies Israel's right to exist as well as ones concerning the West Bank). Perhaps politicians should also remember that many UN members are do not follow the religions "of the book" - for example, Hinduism, Bhuddism, Confucianism, Shintoism, etc - or may even be predominantly secular, such as the UK (even if it's monarch is head of the Church of England!), so such statements may seem irrelevant? (For the avoidance of doubt, one assumes the statements regarding the erasure of Israel in the Hamas charter were also written by men?)There's also the issue that Christian Palestinians living in the West Bank claim to have been harassed and threatened by Israeli settlers - surely not favourable for Judeo-Christian relations? That doesn't imply one shouldn't support Israel against Hamas atrocities and campaign for the release of all hostages, just that it's a multi dimensional problem that needs a solution which has a chance of giving lasting peace; it seems unlikely that quoting what some may consider statements not relevant to the 21st Century will achieve that. (In the same way many would be surprised that dismissal of modern science such as evolution, particularly with the ability now to track changes via DNA analysis, would assist medical research?) In my opinion, not a good idea if one wants an argument taken seriously?

Michael Ixer ● 8d

Mr AinsworthYou quote -'"US Speaker says West Bank belongs to Jews ‘by right’ in settlement visit.Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson says that the “mountains of Judea and Samaria” belong to the Jewish people “by right,” during a visit to the West Bank settlement of Ariel, according to a statement by the settlement’s municipal authority.Johnson, who is among the most senior US officials to ever visit a West Bank settlement, speaks at a celebratory event attended by Ariel Mayor Yair Chetboun and the mayors of other West Bank settlements.“Every corner of this land is important to us. It is an integral part of our faith, and therefore the significance for us is great… We stand entirely by your side,” says Johnson, according to the statement'.But what is your view on the mission of Hamas regarding territorial ambition and the consequences for those Jews that stand in its way ?https://isgap.org/flashpoint/what-hamas-leaders-actually-want-in-their-own-words/"What is Hamas?  The Palestinian Hamas terrorist organization was founded in 1987 to fulfill one and only one mission—a fundamentalist Sunni Islamist quest to annihilate Israel by killing Jews.How do we know this? Because Hamas proclaims it in its 1988 founding, charter document, The Hamas Covenant. The second paragraph declares to all the world that, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” The introduction section promises “[o]ur struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious” and will only end when “the enemy is vanquished and Allah’s victory is realized,” and declares that Hamas and the people are ready “to sacrifice life and all that is precious for the sake of Allah.” Article 8 affirms that “Jihad is [Hamas’s] path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of [Hamas’s] wishes.”Article 7 states:The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said: ‘The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’Article 12 instructs that resistance to destroy Israel is “the individual duty of every Moslem” and that even “[a] woman can go out to fight the enemy without her husband’s permission.” Hamas’s charter instructs Palestinians to raise children to wage jihad against the Jews (Article 18) and warns Palestinians that peace negotiations, “peaceful solutions,” and normalization of the Jews are forbidden and that anyone who engages in them is a traitor destined for hell (Article 13).Makes the comment by the US Speaker seem pretty mild in my view but probably not yours.Also, any comment on the following ?Sky News -https://news.sky.com/story/hamas-ready-to-deliver-aid-to-hostages-after-outcry-over-footage-of-israeli-captive-13406554"Hamas 'ready' to receive aid for Israeli hostages, as 'appalling' videos of Israeli captive criticised"'Hamas has said it is ready to cooperate with a request to deliver food to Israeli hostages in Gaza, if Israel agrees to permanently open a humanitarian corridor into the enclave.The militant group's statement comes amid international outcry over two videos it released of Israeli hostage Evyatar David, who it has held captive since 7 October 2023.The now 24-year-old looks skeletal, with his shoulder blades protruding from his back.The footage sparked huge criticism, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas labelling the videos "appalling" - and saying they "expose the barbarity of Hamas".When even the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is labelling the videos "appalling" - and saying they "expose the barbarity of Hamas" is it not now time the WPPLF revisited its policy of giving unqualified support to Hamas whilst perpetually criticising Israel ?BTW. Do you have a copy of this Jewish person's emaciated body in your portfolio of Palestinians you claim are similarly suffering ?

John Hawkes ● 8d

Mr AinsworthGood to see US politicians standing up for Israel whilst our Labour PM supports the Palestinians wanting to annihilate them.Keep up the web trawling !

John Hawkes ● 8d