House Speaker Johnson visits Jerusalem, says 'moved by the hospitality of the people'

House Speaker Mike Johnson is visiting Jerusalem after having postponed his trip to Israel in June because of the country's heightened conflict with Iran.  

Johnson on Sunday visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem with a group of fellow House Republicans and met with Israeli officials, according to The Hill newspaper.

“It is such a moving time for us to be here, to be here at the Wailing Wall. We’ve offered our prayers, we’ve put our notes into the wall, as is traditional and we’re so moved by the hospitality of the people and the great love of Israel,” Johnson said in a video posted on Instagram by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.

“Our prayer is that America will always stand with Israel and that we will — we pray for the preservation and the peace of Jerusalem. That’s what Scripture tells us to do. It’s a matter of faith for us and a commitment that we have,” he added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted a photo on X of him meeting with Johnson and other House Republicans including New York Rep. Claudia Tenney and Texas Reps. Michael McCaul, Michael Cloud and Nathaniel Moran. 

“We discussed the alarming global wave of antisemitism, including efforts by countries like Ireland to delegitimize Israel. I also described the horrific attacks against the Druze in Syria, the same kind of barbarism perpetrated by Hamas,” Sa’ar wrote.

Johnson postponed his trip to Israel in June, when he was supposed to address the Knesset, because of airstrikes between the Jewish nation and Iran. The House speaker does not have plans to address the Knesset on this trip.