Israel has moved to annex the West Bank, prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump and putting pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Attempts to Take Over the West Bank
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved construction of a large settlement in a key area of the occupied West Bank, aiming to house several thousand Jewish settlers. The occupation of the designated A1 zone would connect Jerusalem with the settlement Maale Adumim, effectively bisecting the West Bank. Netanyahu declared that no Palestinian state would exist, while the Knesset is advancing a bill to annex the entire West Bank.
‘Protest’ by the Opposition
The bill was drafted by opposition MPs but received backing from far‑right nationalist government members, including Interior Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Netanyahu described the vote as a “political provocation” intended to stir divisions during the U.S. vice‑president’s visit to Israel.
On Wednesday, the first of four votes on the annexation bill took place, resulting in a 25‑to‑24 vote in the 120‑member Knesset. Likud, Netanyahu’s party, abstained from voting. The party stated that “true sovereignty will be achieved on the ground, not through quick legal measures.”
Red Line for the United States
Donald Trump told Time that Israel’s annexation will not occur, citing support from Arab countries and warning that such moves would lose U.S. backing. He warned, “If Israel does this, it will lose all support from the United States.”
American representative JD Vance expressed that the annexation vote is a “very foolish political gambit” and is “distasteful” personally. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated, prior to his trip to Israel, that the Trump administration “does not support the Knesset vote on annexation.” The motion threatens the peace agreement and could produce adverse rather than desired outcomes.
Violence and Occupation in the West Bank
Since the onset of the war in the West Bank, IDF and settler actions have led to about a thousand Palestinian deaths, according to UN data. Recent weeks have seen intensified brutal attacks by settlers and arrests on unclear pretexts. Additionally, “settlement outposts” continue to emerge on Palestinian land, later expanding and gaining legal recognition from Israeli authorities—an issue noted by the United States.
