Washington, MINA – US President Donald Trump stated Thursday that Israel “is not going to do anything” with the West Bank following a controversial parliamentary vote to annex the occupied Palestinian territory, Anadolu Agency reported.
“Don’t worry about the West Bank. Israel’s not going to do anything with the West Bank,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
His comments came in response to a question regarding whether the Israeli parliament’s annexation vote challenged his peace efforts.
On Wednesday, the Knesset approved two annexation-related bills in a preliminary reading. Both drafts still require three additional readings before becoming law.
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The move defied Trump’s earlier stance last month, when he said he would not permit Israel to annex the West Bank. It also coincided with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel as part of a diplomatic effort to uphold the Gaza ceasefire, which began on October 10.
Speaking in Tel Aviv, Vance also dismissed the idea of annexation, describing the vote as “symbolic” and noting that Washington “certainly wasn’t happy about it.” He added, “If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it. The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio likewise warned that Israel’s actions could “threaten” the Gaza ceasefire agreement proposed by Trump following the Knesset’s decision.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have intensified across the West Bank, leaving over 1,056 Palestinians dead, more than 10,300 injured, and around 20,000 detained, according to Palestinian officials.
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In July, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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