US President Donald Trump has ruled out any possibility of Israel annexing the West Bank. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.
Trump said he would not allow annexation despite pressure from far-right politicians in Israel. “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” he stated. He added that “it’s time to stop now,” signaling frustration with growing settlement expansion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. His office said he would wait until returning to Israel before responding to Trump’s comments. Netanyahu has long faced pressure from his coalition partners to move forward with annexation, a plan that has alarmed Arab leaders.
Several Western countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, have recently recognized a Palestinian state. Their move aims to protect the two-state solution, though Israel strongly condemned the decision.
Arab and Muslim leaders also raised concerns in meetings with Trump earlier this week. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister said the US president understood the severe risks of any annexation move.
Currently, about 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Most of the international community views these settlements as illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this position.
The United States also unveiled a new 21-point Middle East peace plan at the UN. It focuses on ending the nearly two-year-long Gaza conflict. Trump said he had productive talks with Netanyahu and leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and other nations. He expressed hope for progress on a Gaza deal soon.
The war in Gaza has already killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. Aid efforts continue under difficult conditions as international pressure mounts for peace.
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