U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, made a historic first official visit to the city of Ariel, accompanied by US Amb. Mike Huckabee and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. During the visit, they emphasized: “Judea and Samaria belong to the Jewish people.”

By Israel National News Staff

(August 4, 2025 / Israel National News) A senior delegation from the Trump administration, led by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, held a first-ever official visit to the city of Ariel in Samaria today (Monday).

Joining Johnson were U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

According to sources on the ground, the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the strategic ties between the two countries and deepen the understanding of the Judea and Samaria region, amidst ongoing public debate in the U.S. regarding the issue of applying Israeli sovereignty. Johnson, regarded as the third most important official in the U.S. government according to the Constitution, is the highest-ranking official ever to visit Judea and Samaria in his official capacity.

During the visit, the delegation participated in a ceremony planting vines at the National Leadership Development Center in the city, alongside 15 other members of Congress. The ceremony symbolized the partnership between the two nations and support for the Jewish people’s right to sovereignty in their land.

At the day’s main event, a festive luncheon was held with the participation of additional local leaders. Ariel’s mayor, Yair Shatbon, referred to the visit as “a historic moment of shared values, deep friendship, and strong partnership between the United States and Israel — and between the United States and Judea and Samaria, the place where the Jewish story began.”

During the event, the parents of Sergeant Vitali Skipkevich, a resident of the city who fell in combat at Kibbutz Kissufim on October 7, were invited to the stage. The mayor stated, “The true correction of this heavy tragedy begins here — by planting roots and insisting on our right to be here.” The family was presented with a symbolic gift for the delegation: a coin inscribed with the words “A person with spirit in him.”

During his speech, Mike Johnson said, “Every corner of this land is important to us. Being here, in the place where our faith began — this has great significance. The Bible teaches that Judea and Samaria were promised to the Jewish people, and they belong to you by right. The world may not see it this way, but we do.”

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee added, “We have many allies, but only one true partner — Israel. God gave the Jewish people a mission and land, even if it is the smallest and most complex. This is not a matter of human debate — it is God’s will.”

At the end of the day, Mayor Shatbon said, “This is a political and national mission. We are filled with pride that the city of Ariel was chosen as the center for this historic meeting, and we thank President Trump and his team for their support.”

This article was originally published in Israel National News-Arutz Sheva and can be viewed here.