US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have voiced strong criticism regarding a recent preliminary vote by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, which took a symbolic step towards annexing the occupied West Bank. This move, driven by far-right politicians, aims to apply Israeli law to the territory, which is also claimed by Palestinians as part of their future independent state.
During his visit to Israel, Vance described the vote as a “very stupid political stunt.” Prior to his arrival, Rubio had expressed concerns that such an annexation could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal for Gaza. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office, however, characterized the vote as a “deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord,” emphasizing that neither the ruling Likud party nor its ultra-Orthodox coalition partners had supported the bill, with only one disgruntled member voting in favor. The statement further noted that without Likud’s backing, such bills are unlikely to advance.
Vance conveyed his dissatisfaction upon departing Tel Aviv, stating, “The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy.” He added that while symbolic votes might occur, they were certainly not met with approval.
In a separate interview, President Trump himself affirmed that annexation would not proceed, citing his commitment to Arab nations. He warned that Israel would lose vital support from the United States if such a measure were taken.
The context of these statements is the ongoing US administration’s push for the next phase of its Gaza peace plan, with Vance and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visiting the region. The first phase, which included a ceasefire, partial Israeli troop withdrawal, and increased aid, has been largely holding, despite accusations of breaches from both Israel and Hamas. Rubio expressed optimism about the ceasefire’s progress, noting that they were “ahead of schedule” in bringing the plan together.
The proposed second phase of the peace plan involves establishing an interim government in Gaza, deploying an international stabilization force, and the disarmament of Hamas. The conflict in Gaza originated from the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. In the subsequent conflict, casualty figures in Gaza, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry and deemed reliable by the UN, have exceeded 68,000 Palestinians.