US House Speaker Mike Johnson took part in a historic meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Shiloh on Monday evening, marking the first high-level meeting held between a prime minister and a senior American official in the West Bank.
His meeting with Netanyahu followed an unprecedented official visit to the city of Ariel by a delegation of senior Trump administration officials and members of Congress led by the speaker.
Johnson, who is the third-highest-ranking official in the US political system, said in Ariel that he would work to stop the use of the term “West Bank” at the federal level, instead promoting the exclusive use of the term “Judea and Samaria.”
Yesha Council: Trump admin. sees West Bank as part of Israel
The visit by the speaker marked the peak of a campaign by the Yesha Council to promote the application of Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. A few weeks ago, the council passed by a large majority a declaration calling for sovereignty to be applied in the area, stating that “Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley are an inseparable part of the Land of Israel, the historical, cultural, and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people.”
Yesha Council director-general Omer Rahamim told The Jerusalem Post that the US sees the region as part of Israel, with the responsibility to apply sovereignty now in Israel’s hands.
In his visit, Johnson was joined by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen strategic ties between Israel and the US and deepen familiarity with the area, with an emphasis on the public discourse in the US surrounding Israeli sovereignty in the region.
During a gathering in Ariel with senior members of the Yesha Council, including Rahamim, chairman Israel Ganz, and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Johnson said, “Every corner of this land is important to us. It is an inseparable part of our faith, and therefore, its meaning to us is tremendous. But to be here, exactly where you are, at the true cradle of our beliefs, is even more significant.”
Gov. Huckabee Sanders, who was present at the event, was the first US state official to pass a resolution to exclusively use the term “Judea and Samaria.” Her father said he tells people that God gave Israel a tiny strip of land, perhaps the most contested land in the world, and said, “This is yours.”
He added that “America has many friends and allies, but truly only one genuine partner, and that is Israel.”
Ganz said it was a great honor to host Johnson.
“The American administration under President [Donald] Trump is choosing the right side of history and walking hand in hand with the State of Israel,” he said.
He stated that the recognition of the West Bank as part of Israel will lead to prosperity and improve living conditions for all residents. He thanked the delegation for its support in advancing this vision.
Ariel Mayor Yair Chetboun added that hosting this summit was a national and diplomatic mission. He expressed pride that Ariel, the “capital of Samaria,” was chosen for the historic meeting, and thanked the US administration, Trump, and his team for their support.
The event was initiated by the Yesha Council and was held in collaboration with Heather Johnston, head of the US -Israel Education Association.
The Yesha Council's recognition campaign
Some six months ago, the Yesha Council established a task force to lead efforts to push for sovereignty in the West Bank. The task force, which includes Ganz, Dagan, and Rahamim, is responsible for advancing the initiative with the Trump administration.
Rahamim told the Post that following recent developments, the responsibility for applying sovereignty now rests with the government. He said it is time to correct the injustice whereby more than half a million Israeli citizens live under military rule.
He emphasized that Johnson’s historic visit demonstrates the deep bond and strong alliance between America’s senior leadership and the Jewish communities in the region.
According to him, the fact that an American official of such rank visited the West Bank for the first time ever proves that the United States also sees the region as an integral part of the State of Israel.