President Donald Trump has declared that he will not allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the West Bank. Trump conveyed this stance to reporters at the White House prior to Netanyahu’s address at the UN General Assembly. “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank… It’s not going to happen,” Trump stated.
The US President, who is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu, also suggested that a ceasefire agreement concerning the Gaza conflict is nearing completion. He commented, “We’re getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza, and maybe even peace.”
Israel is facing increasing international scrutiny regarding its ongoing conflict and occupation of the West Bank. This comes as several Western nations have officially recognized an independent Palestinian state, a move seen by far-right Israelis as a way to thwart the creation of such a state.
Within Netanyahu’s government, ultranationalist factions have renewed their calls for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, a territory considered part of the Palestinian territories. The United Kingdom and Germany have reportedly cautioned Israel against such a move. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described annexation as “morally, legally and politically intolerable.”
President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine, speaking via video link to the UN General Assembly, announced his readiness to collaborate with global leaders on a peace initiative for Israel and the Palestinians, recently proposed by France. Abbas, who was prevented from traveling to New York by the US, thanked the countries that have recently recognized a Palestinian state, including Canada, Australia, the UK, and Portugal, followed by France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, and Andorra. Denmark was also thanked, although its recognition of Palestine is conditional.
The United States currently opposes recognizing Palestine, viewing it as rewarding Hamas. Abbas stated at the UN that “Hamas will not have a role to play in governance,” and called for a Palestinian state to assume full responsibility for Gaza post-Israeli withdrawal, connecting it with the West Bank.
During meetings at the UN, Arab and Muslim leaders reportedly warned Trump about potential repercussions if Israel proceeds with annexation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, commented that the US President “understands very well the risks and dangers of annexation in the West Bank.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel closed the sole crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, impacting over two million Palestinians’ access to the outside world. This closure followed the killing of two Israeli military personnel near the crossing by a Jordanian gunman. In Gaza, over 80 Palestinians, including children, were reportedly killed by Israeli forces in Gaza City. The Israeli military’s campaign in Gaza began in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Health authorities in Gaza report that over 18,000 children have been among the estimated 65,419 killed in Israeli attacks since then. An August report from a UN-backed body indicated that over half a million people in Gaza are experiencing “catastrophic” conditions of starvation and destitution, a claim Netanyahu has disputed. A UN commission of inquiry found Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a finding Israel has strongly rejected.
International pressure on Israel to end the war and occupation is mounting, with the European Commission considering trade restrictions and sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers. Separately, Microsoft has suspended services for an Israeli Ministry of Defence unit after its technology was found to be used for mass surveillance in Gaza.