Trump Says He Will Not Allow The Annexation Of The West Bank
Donald Trump has made it clear that he won’t let Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu annex the occupied West Bank, telling reporters, "I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank... It's not gonna happen." The statement puts him in direct conflict with far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition who have been calling for full annexation amid growing international support for Palestinian statehood. Arab leaders, including those behind the Abraham Accords, had privately warned Trump that annexation would risk unraveling regional peace deals.
Israeli officials like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who live in illegal settlements, have dismissed international warnings and pushed for immediate annexation in response to Palestinian recognition. But Trump's stance—and the fear of destabilising key diplomatic wins like the Abraham Accords—appears to have drawn a red line. While Trump hinted a Gaza ceasefire deal was “pretty close,” he gave no details but called his meeting with Arab leaders his “most important” of the day.
