Mike Johnson, the highest legislator in america Congress, has visited an unlawful settlement within the occupied West Financial institution, drawing condemnation from Palestinians.
The Palestinian International Ministry referred to as the journey by the speaker of the US Home of Representatives on Monday a “blatant violation of worldwide legislation”.
Johnson, who’s subsequent in line for the US presidency after the president and vp, is the highest-ranking US official to go to a West Financial institution Israeli settlement.
His journey comes amid escalating settler violence in opposition to Palestinian communities that killed two US residents in July.
The Israeli army has additionally been intensifying its lethal raids, dwelling demolitions and displacement campaigns within the West Financial institution because it carries out its brutal assault and blockade on Gaza.
Johnson’s go to contradicts Arab and US efforts to “finish the cycle of violence” in addition to Washington’s public stance in opposition to settlers’ “aggressions”, the Palestinian International Ministry mentioned.
“The ministry affirms that each one settlement exercise is invalid and unlawful and undermines the chance to implement the two-state resolution and obtain peace,” it added.
In accordance with Israeli media stories, Johnson visited the settlement of Ariel, north of Ramallah, on Monday.
“Judea and Samaria are the entrance strains of the state of Israel and should stay an integral a part of it,” Johnson was quoted as saying by the Jerusalem Publish newspaper, utilizing a biblical identify for the West Financial institution.
“Even when the world thinks in any other case, we stand with you.”
The Home speaker’s feedback look like in reference to current strikes by some Western nations – together with shut allies of the US and Israel – to recognise a Palestinian state.
‘Unlawful beneath worldwide legislation’
Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem are unlawful beneath worldwide legislation. The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice, the highest United Nations tribunal, reaffirmed that place final yr, saying that Israel’s presence within the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and should finish “as quickly as doable”.
Requested about Johnson’s go to, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq instructed reporters on Monday: “Our standpoint on the settlements, as you recognize, is that they’re unlawful beneath worldwide legislation.”
Israel captured the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem in 1967, and annexed your entire holy metropolis in 1980.
Successive Israeli governments have been constructing Jewish-only settlements within the West Financial institution on land that will be the house of a Palestinian state if a two-state resolution have been to materialise.
Lots of of 1000’s of Israeli settlers now stay within the occupied West Financial institution.
The Fourth Geneva Conference, to which Israel is a signatory, bans the occupying energy from transferring “elements of its personal civilian inhabitants into the territory it occupies”.
Whereas the Oslo Accords granted the Palestinian Authority some municipal powers over elements of the West Financial institution, your entire space stays beneath full Israeli safety management.
Israel additionally controls the airspace and ports of entry within the territory.
Israeli settlers within the West Financial institution have full citizenship rights, whereas Palestinians stay beneath Israel’s army rule, the place they are often detained indefinitely with out expenses.
Main rights teams have accused Israel of imposing a system of apartheid on Palestinians.
‘It’s a matter of religion for us’
For many years, the US has publicly rejected West Financial institution settlements and referred to as for a two-state resolution regardless of offering Israel with billions of {dollars} in army help.
Nevertheless, US President Donald Trump has taken US coverage additional in favour of Israel, refusing to criticise settlement enlargement or decide to backing a Palestinian state.
Many Republicans, in the meantime, have lengthy expressed help for Israel from a theological perspective, arguing that it’s a Christian non secular obligation to again the US ally.
“Our prayer is that America will at all times stand with Israel. We pray for the preservation and the peace of Jerusalem. That’s what scripture tells us to do. It’s a matter of religion for us,” Johnson mentioned on Sunday throughout a go to to the Western Wall.
In a social media publish, Marc Zell, chair of the US Republicans Abroad Israel, cited Johnson as saying on Monday that the mountains of the West Financial institution are “the rightful property of the Jewish Individuals”.