U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently cautioned that if Israel’s parliament proceeds with annexing the West Bank, it could jeopardize President Donald Trump’s current peace initiative aimed at resolving the conflict in Gaza, despite a tentative ceasefire already being in place.
Speaking to reporters before his departure for Israel on Wednesday evening, Rubio explicitly stated that such a move by the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) is ‘not something we’d be supportive of right now’ and could be ‘potentially threatening to the peace deal.’
This visit by Secretary Rubio is part of a broader effort by senior U.S. officials to maintain the fragile truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Middle East has been severely destabilized by two years of intense conflict, making this diplomatic push crucial.
The delicate ceasefire agreement has been repeatedly undermined by renewed gunfire and explosions, with both sides accusing each other of violating its initial terms. This first phase of the deal included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, the return of deceased hostage remains, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Heavy Shooting, Shelling Overnight
Overnight reports from witnesses detailed continuous heavy gunfire and tank shelling in the eastern sectors of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, as well as areas east of Gaza City in the northern part of the Palestinian territory.
Mohammad Abu Mansour, a 40-year-old farmer from central Gaza, shared his distress, stating, ‘Gunfire and explosions almost didn’t stop until the morning, my three children woke up and asked me if the war had come back.’ He expressed a widespread sentiment of longing for peace, asking, ‘When is this all going to end and we regain our normal lives without fears?’
According to the U.S. State Department, Secretary Rubio’s visit to Israel is aimed at bolstering President Trump’s comprehensive 20-point plan. This plan seeks to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza, facilitate its reconstruction, establish stable governance, and potentially advance towards Palestinian statehood.
Preceding Rubio, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance had already met with Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. Vance also had scheduled meetings with Defence Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Thursday before his departure.
West Bank Annexation Move by Israeli Parliament
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Israel’s parliament gave preliminary approval to a bill that would extend Israeli law to the occupied West Bank. This move is largely seen as an act of annexation, targeting land that Palestinians envision as forming the core of their future independent state.
Currently, approximately 700,000 Jewish settlers reside in various settlements throughout the West Bank. Both the United Nations and a significant portion of the international community regard these settlements as illegal under international law.
The Israeli government justifies its presence by citing biblical and historical ties to the West Bank, which it considers disputed territory, and maintains opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state.
The issue of these settlements has long been a highly contentious point, consistently viewed as a primary impediment to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
This parliamentary vote represents the first of four required steps for the bill to become law. It occurred just one month after President Trump declared his opposition to Israel annexing territories captured in the 1967 Middle East war, and notably, it coincided with Vice President Vance’s visit.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party did not back this legislation. It was proposed by members outside his governing coalition and narrowly passed with a 25-24 vote in the 120-member parliament.
Previously, Netanyahu’s administration had contemplated annexation as a response to several key Western allies recognizing a Palestinian state – a move intended to pressure Israel to cease its military actions in Gaza. However, it seems this plan was abandoned following President Trump’s public opposition.
Since 2022, under Netanyahu’s current government – widely regarded as Israel’s most right-wing, with ultra-nationalist coalition partners advocating for the annexation of both the West Bank and Gaza – settlement construction has dramatically accelerated.
The United Arab Emirates, a leading Arab nation that established ties with Israel under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords during Trump’s initial presidency, has unequivocally stated that annexing the West Bank would constitute a ‘red line’ for the Gulf state.