Donald Trump rejects Israel’s West Bank annexation, urges halt, amid Middle East diplomacy and growing Palestinian state recognition. Photos: X.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to criticize Israeli actions in Gaza for the first time since the October 7 incident. The President outrightly rejected the Israeli plan to annex the West Bank, saying he would not allow it.
“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 in the Oval Office. “There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure from allies to move forward with annexation. The plan has alarmed Arab leaders, calling it a red line.
Some of these Arab leaders met with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week, giving hope for a Middle East plan.
Netanyahu is in New York and is scheduled to address the United Nations on Friday. Netanyahu has not responded to Trump’s remarks.
Also Read: Donald Trump’s Secret Deal With Arab Leaders Could Make Benjamin Netanyahu Furious
Several countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, have recognized a Palestinian state in recent days. The aim is to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution. Israel has condemned these moves coming from its traditional allies.
Earlier this week, Arab and Muslim nations warned Trump about the severe consequences of any West Bank annexation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, said the U.S. president “understands very well” the gravity of the situation.
Currently, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the latter of which Israel annexed in a move largely unrecognized internationally.
Israel refuses to relinquish control over the West Bank, a stance reinforced by the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and 251 hostages taken. Of the hostages, about 48 remain in captivity, with 20 believed to be alive.
During the UN gathering, the U.S. presented a 21-point Middle East peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year-long conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
The plan was shared on Tuesday with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Trump, a staunch ally of Israel, said he spoke with both Middle Eastern representatives and Netanyahu on Thursday, expressing optimism that a deal on Gaza could be reached soon.
“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 said.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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