U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has delivered a cautionary message, indicating that moves by Israel’s parliament to annex the West Bank could jeopardize President Donald Trump’s ongoing initiative to establish peace in Gaza, an area currently observing a precarious ceasefire.
“That’s a vote in the Knesset, but obviously I think the president’s made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now, and we think it’s potentially threatening to the peace deal,” Rubio stated to reporters on Wednesday evening before his departure for Israel.
Rubio’s visit marks the latest in a series of high-level diplomatic efforts by U.S. officials aimed at preserving the fragile truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. This truce follows two years of intense conflict that have profoundly reshaped the Middle East.
Despite the ceasefire, frequent exchanges of gunfire and explosions have cast a shadow over the agreement. Both sides have accused each other of violating the initial phase of the deal, which included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the return of some deceased hostages’ bodies, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Heavy Shooting and Shelling Overnight
Residents reported continuous heavy gunfire and tank shelling throughout the night in the eastern parts of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, as well as east of Gaza City in the northern Palestinian enclave.
“Gunfire and explosions almost didn’t stop until the morning; my three children woke up and asked me if the war had come back,” shared Mohammad Abu Mansour, a 40-year-old farmer from central Gaza, expressing the widespread fear. “When is this all going to end, and we regain our normal lives without fears?”
The U.S. State Department confirmed Rubio’s visit to Israel was to bolster the execution of Trump’s 20-point plan. This comprehensive plan seeks to conclude the war in Gaza, facilitate reconstruction, establish stable governance, and explore potential pathways toward Palestinian statehood.
Rubio’s arrival followed that of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. Vance was scheduled to hold further discussions with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Thursday before his departure.
West Bank Annexation Efforts by Israeli Parliament
On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, a bill designed to extend Israeli law to the occupied West Bank received preliminary parliamentary approval. This action is widely considered equivalent to annexing territory that Palestinians envision as part of an independent state.
Approximately 700,000 Jewish settlers reside in communities across the West Bank. These settlements are largely deemed illegal under international law by the United Nations and much of the global community.
The Israeli government, citing historical and biblical connections to the West Bank, considers the territory disputed and rejects the notion of an independent Palestinian state.
The issue of settlements is highly contentious and has long been a significant barrier to achieving peace in the Middle East.
This parliamentary vote was the first of four required for the law’s passage and occurred just a month after former President Trump had stated his opposition to Israel annexing the territory it seized in the 1967 Middle East War.
While Netanyahu’s Likud party did not officially endorse the legislation—which was proposed by lawmakers outside his ruling coalition and narrowly passed with a 25-24 vote out of 120 legislators—his government had previously considered annexation. This consideration was reportedly in response to several Western allies recognizing a Palestinian state, intending to pressure Israel to halt its conflict in Gaza. However, the move was apparently abandoned following Trump’s objection.
Since 2022, there has been a significant expansion of settlement construction under Netanyahu’s government, which is the most right-wing in Israel’s history. This government includes ultra-nationalist coalition partners who advocate for the annexation of both the West Bank and Gaza.
The United Arab Emirates, a prominent Arab nation that normalized relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first presidential term, has explicitly stated that annexing the West Bank would constitute a “red line” for the Gulf state.