Washington D.C. – US President Donald Trump has ruled out allowing Israel to annex the West Bank, pushing back against demands from far-right Israeli politicians and calming fears that Washington would recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territory.
“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Thursday, stressing, “There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.”
The remarks came just hours before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York for his United Nations address. Netanyahu’s office said he would respond to Trump’s statement after returning to Israel.
Earlier this week, British officials privately voiced fears that Trump might retaliate against the UK, Australia, France, and other countries that recently recognized Palestine by backing Israel’s control over West Bank settlements. Arab and European leaders mounted an intensive lobbying effort to prevent such recognition.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, confirmed that Arab and Muslim states had warned Trump of the “grave consequences” of annexation – a warning he said the president “understands very well.”
Israeli settlements, considered illegal under international law, have steadily expanded since Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war. More than 700,000 settlers now live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel disputes the illegality, citing historical and biblical ties.
A contentious project known as E1, approved in August, threatens to cut the West Bank in two and sever it from East Jerusalem, a move Palestinians and international leaders warn would destroy prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
While the annexation debate unfolds, Washington has circulated a 21-point Middle East peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the plan was shared with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
Trump said he had spoken with Netanyahu and regional leaders and was optimistic about progress. “We want the hostages back, we want the bodies back, and we want to have peace in that region. So we had some very good talks,” he noted.
The Gaza conflict, now approaching its second year, has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, and driven parts of the territory into famine. Israel continues to face international condemnation over its military campaign, which shows no sign of ending.
