During a significant meeting this week, President Trump privately assured leaders from various Arab and Muslim-majority nations that he would not permit Israel to annex the West Bank. This insight comes from three individuals closely familiar with the discussions.
In recent weeks, Israeli officials had hinted at potential annexation of parts of the West Bank. This was seen as a possible response to several countries, including key European allies like Britain and France, along with Canada, formally recognizing a Palestinian state.
Calls for Israel to extend its sovereignty over the West Bank have been intensifying from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing political base. A prominent far-right minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, publicly urged the government on Sunday to implement such a measure without delay.
The guarantee from President Trump regarding West Bank annexation was made during a Tuesday meeting held alongside the United Nations General Assembly. Multiple sources, including an Arab official who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, confirmed these assurances.
Attendees at this critical meeting included high-profile figures such as the President of Turkey, the Emir of Qatar, the King of Jordan, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and the Prime Minister of Egypt, alongside other prominent regional and Muslim leaders.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking to France 24 and Radio France Internationale on Wednesday, confirmed that he and Mr. Trump had concurred that Israel’s expansion of West Bank settlements was counterproductive and unrelated to Hamas. Their discussion took place during the General Assembly.
Talk of potential annexation has been met with strong disapproval across the Arab world. For many years, Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and a significant portion of the international community have viewed this territory as integral to a future, independent Palestinian state.
The West Bank is home to approximately three million Palestinians and about half a million Israelis living in scattered settlements. Israel has maintained control over the territory since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, but these settlements are widely considered illegal under international law by Palestinians and many global actors.
Any unilateral annexation of the West Bank by Israel would starkly highlight the diminishing hopes for a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state. Many Palestinians argue that current Israeli policies—including strict limitations on movement and construction—already constitute a de facto annexation of the territory.
Despite the symbolic importance of international recognition, Palestinian officials emphasize that it does little to alter the severe realities faced by Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza under existing conditions.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his firm opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state on Sunday.
He stated unequivocally, “There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan River.” He further claimed to have consistently blocked the formation of such a state for years, despite considerable domestic and international pressure.
Separately, during the meeting, U.S. envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, outlined an American proposal aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. A White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the plan includes a demand for the release of all hostages and an immediate halt to hostilities.
The conflict began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 abductions. While many hostages have been repatriated, Israeli authorities estimate that 20 individuals remain alive in Gaza. Hamas has indicated its willingness to release all remaining captives in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has maintained his refusal to end the war unless Hamas fully disarms and its senior leaders go into exile—conditions that Hamas has consistently rejected publicly.
On Wednesday, President Macron also revealed that he had urged Mr. Trump to exert pressure on Israel to bring the war to a close.
Macron recounted his message to Trump during the French broadcast interview: “You have a prominent role to play… You, who supports peace and wants to make peace in the world.”