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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed an initiative by Israeli lawmakers to advance a bill that would annex the occupied West Bank, emphasizing that Israel “is not going to do anything with the West Bank.” The proposed legislation, which would extend Israeli law to the territory Palestinians claim for a future state, narrowly passed its first reading in the Knesset by 25-24 votes.
During a visit to Israel, U.S. Vice President JD Vance reiterated that Trump’s administration firmly opposes any annexation move, calling the bill a “stupid political stunt.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that such steps could threaten the fragile Gaza ceasefire and undermine Trump’s broader Middle East peace plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party abstained from supporting the proposal, labeling it a “political provocation” orchestrated by far-right opposition figures, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Without Likud’s backing, analysts believe the annexation measure is unlikely to progress further.
Trump’s administration has invested significant diplomatic efforts in sustaining a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, now entering its third week. The truce has resulted in limited prisoner exchanges, troop withdrawals, and humanitarian coordination, though sporadic violations continue on both sides.
The West Bank remains a focal point of global tension, home to hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers. The United Nations and most of the international community deem these settlements illegal under international law, while Israel insists the area is historically and biblically significant.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, and several Muslim-majority nations condemned the annexation bill, warning it jeopardizes prospects for peace. Trump continues to promote his Gaza peace framework and hopes to expand the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia—an objective the kingdom maintains is contingent upon Palestinian statehood.
