U.S. Vice President JD Vance sharply denounced the Israeli Parliament’s recent vote on West Bank annexation, calling it an ‘insult’ and a direct challenge to the Trump administration’s policies. He stressed that such a move undermines critical efforts to uphold the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) held a symbolic preliminary vote that narrowly supported annexing the occupied West Bank. This action appeared to be an attempt to embarrass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Vice President Vance’s visit to the country.
This controversial bill was primarily backed by parliamentary hard-liners, with only a single member from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s own Likud Party joining their ranks. Since Netanyahu himself opposes the measure, it is highly improbable that the bill will successfully clear the several additional votes needed to become law.
Although a significant number of politicians within Netanyahu’s coalition, including members of Likud, publicly support annexation, they have largely withdrawn their calls for it since U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his opposition last month.
The United Arab Emirates, a crucial ally to both the U.S. and Israel in promoting peace in Gaza, has unequivocally stated that any Israeli annexation would cross a ‘red line.’ Speaking from the tarmac at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport before his departure, Vice President Vance declared that if the Knesset vote was a ‘political stunt,’ then it was ‘a very stupid political stunt.’ He added, ‘I personally take some insult to it,’ reiterating that ‘The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.’
Palestinians envision the West Bank, which Israel captured during the 1967 Mideast war, as an integral part of their future independent state. Should Israel proceed with annexation, it would effectively extinguish hopes for a two-state solution—an outcome widely supported by the international community.
U.S. Push Toward Peace
Earlier in the week, Vice President Vance announced the establishment of a new civilian-military coordination center in southern Israel. This facility will host approximately 200 U.S. troops collaborating with the Israeli military and international delegations to plan for Gaza’s stabilization and reconstruction.
Concurrently, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed journalists at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday that he intends to visit the center and assign a Foreign Service official to work alongside Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East.
The United States is actively seeking support from international allies, particularly Gulf Arab nations, to establish an international stabilization force for deployment in Gaza and to assist in training a new Palestinian security force.
Rubio emphasized, ‘We’d like to see Palestinian police forces in Gaza that are not Hamas and that are going to do a good job, but those still have to be trained and equipped.’
Secretary Rubio, scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu later on Thursday, has also voiced his criticism regarding Israeli far-right lawmakers’ attempts to advance West Bank annexation.
Israeli media has dubbed the continuous influx of American officials visiting to ensure Israel adheres to the delicate ceasefire as ‘Bibi-sitting.’ This term, referencing Netanyahu’s nickname ‘Bibi,’ originates from an old campaign advertisement where he portrayed himself as the trustworthy ‘Bibi-sitter’ for voters’ children.
Gaza in Dire Need of Medical Care
Marking the first medical evacuation since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday that it has successfully evacuated 41 critically ill patients and 145 companions from the Gaza Strip.
In a statement shared on X, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged nations worldwide to demonstrate solidarity and provide assistance to approximately 15,000 patients still awaiting approval for urgent medical care outside Gaza.
These pleas were reinforced by an official from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) who, on Wednesday, recounted the ‘sheer devastation’ he observed during his recent visit to Gaza. He grimly noted that a ‘normal birth in Gaza’ is now a rarity. Andrew Saberton, an executive director at UNFPA, explained to reporters the immense challenges faced by the agency due to the widespread destruction and lack of functional healthcare facilities.
Saberton remarked, ‘I was not fully prepared for what I saw. One can’t be. The sheer extent of the devastation looked like the set of a dystopian film. Unfortunately, it is not fiction.’
He further highlighted the severe challenges faced by Palestinian women, who often lack access to hospitals or even private spaces within tents. ‘We have stories of women giving birth, actually in the rubble, beside the road,’ Saberton stated.
Court Hearing on Journalists’ Access to Gaza
In a separate development on Thursday, Israel’s Supreme Court convened a hearing to deliberate on granting international media access to the Gaza Strip. The court has given the state 30 days to propose a revised stance, taking into account the current ceasefire.
Reporters have been barred from entering Gaza by Israel since the war began following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
The Foreign Press Association (FPA), representing numerous international news organizations including The Associated Press, had petitioned the court to compel the government to open the border.
Following Thursday’s decision, the FPA issued a statement expressing its ‘disappointment’ and condemning the Israeli government’s denial of journalist access as ‘unacceptable.’ The Supreme Court had previously rejected an early FPA request during the war, citing government security concerns. The association filed a second request for access in September 2024, but the government has consistently postponed the case.
Throughout the two-year conflict, Palestinian journalists have provided coverage for international media. However, like all Palestinians, they have endured severe movement restrictions, food shortages, repeated displacement, and operated under extreme danger. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, approximately 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces.
Tania Kraemer, chairperson of the FPA, urged, ‘It is time for Israel to lift the closure and let us do our work alongside our Palestinian colleagues.’