Trump and Netanyahu Diverge on West Bank Policy Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do not fully agree on the future of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, highlighting ongoing divisions over one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Speaking after a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump confirmed that discussions on the West Bank have been extensive but unresolved, while declining to specify the exact nature of their disagreement.

When asked whether he had delivered a message to Netanyahu regarding the West Bank and concerns over escalating settler violence, Trump said the issue had been debated “for a long time.” Although he noted they were not in complete agreement, Trump expressed confidence that a resolution would eventually be reached and suggested that any announcement would come at a later, more appropriate time. He added that he believed Netanyahu would “do the right thing.”

The West Bank remains a focal point of international diplomacy and regional instability. Home to approximately 2.7 million Palestinians, the territory is widely viewed as central to the establishment of a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, Israel’s settlement expansion and the presence of around 500,000 Israeli settlers have drawn sustained international criticism.

Israel is facing growing global pressure to curb attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, as violence has intensified since late 2023. According to the United Nations, more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023 and October 2025, largely during Israeli security operations and in incidents involving settler violence. During the same period, 57 Israelis lost their lives in Palestinian attacks.

The United Nations, Palestinians, and most countries consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel rejects this view, citing historical, biblical, and security-based claims to the land. Reinforcing international criticism, the United Nations’ highest court ruled last year that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the settlement enterprise were unlawful and should be dismantled.

Trump’s comments underscore the complexity of U.S.-Israel relations and the challenges surrounding West Bank policy, as international scrutiny and regional tensions continue to mount.