(JTA) – Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., who apologized last month after likening Israel’s settlement activity to “termites,” toured the West Bank this year with a pro-Palestinian group. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Aug. 10 that Johnson took part in a May tour of the West Bank and Jerusalem hosted by Miftah, which supports “an independent, democratic and sovereign Palestinian state.” The trip, which included several other congressional Democrats, was also underwritten by the American Global Institute, which promotes overseas travel for lawmakers.

Johnson, addressing pro-Palestinian groups on the sidelines of last month’s Democratic National Convention, had said settlements were “almost like termites [that] can get into a residence and eat before you know that you’ve been eaten up and you fall in on yourself.” After clarifying that he meant only to say that settlement activity is slowly undermining a two-state solution, Johnson apologized, and in recent days has reached out to Atlanta Jewish leaders.