“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. That will not happen,” Trump said at the White House on September 25.
The U.S. president expressed optimism about prospects for ending the Israel–Hamas conflict, echoing the sentiment of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “We are moving closer to an agreement in Gaza, perhaps even peace,” Trump noted.
His remarks followed a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the fighting in Gaza. Netanyahu is set to address the UN before meeting Trump in Washington. According to AFP, Israel is considering annexation as a counter to recent recognition of Palestine by several nations, including the UK and France. Israeli far-right groups argue that annexing the West Bank would end any chance of Palestinian statehood.
On September 23, during talks with Arab and Muslim leaders at the UN, Trump was warned of the consequences should Israel proceed with annexation. “I believe the U.S. president fully understands the risks and dangers of this plan,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.
Saudi Arabia is weighing recognition of Israel—a symbolic move given its role as guardian of one of Islam’s two holiest sites. The United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel in 2020, has also urged Tel Aviv not to annex the West Bank. That agreement was considered a major diplomatic achievement for both Trump and Netanyahu.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has strongly backed Netanyahu, even as Israel faces mounting international criticism over civilian casualties in Gaza. Still, Netanyahu has often defied Trump, striking targets in Iran, Qatar, and Syria while Washington pursues diplomatic efforts.
According to Gaza’s health authority, whose figures are deemed reliable by the UN, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza during the 1967 Middle East war, territories considered integral to a future Palestinian state. Since then, it has built and continuously expanded settlements across the West Bank.