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."
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