U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he will not allow Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to proceed with his plan to formally annex the West Bank, a territory long occupied by Israeli forces and at the center of international criticism.
Speaking from the Oval Office at the White House, just days before Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump told reporters: “Israel will not annex the West Bank. That will not happen under my watch.”
Trump, who is scheduled to meet Netanyahu on Monday, added that talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza are “very close” to producing an agreement, suggesting that peace might be within reach.
Israel faces growing pressure from the international community to end its offensive in Gaza and halt plans to annex the West Bank. European powers, including the United Kingdom and Germany, have reiterated their warnings against such a move. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the idea, calling it “unacceptable legally, ethically, and politically.”
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Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s right-wing allies continue to push for full annexation, arguing that Israel has a “historic right” to the land. But more countries are officially recognizing Palestine as an independent state. Over the past week, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Portugal led the way, followed by France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, and Denmark.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 89, addressed the UN General Assembly via video after being denied entry to the U.S. by Washington. He expressed readiness to work with global leaders on implementing a French-led peace initiative.
“Hamas will have no role in governance,” Abbas stressed, calling for the Palestinian Authority to assume “full responsibility” for Gaza after Israel’s withdrawal and to reunite Gaza with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
For Abbas, granting the Palestinian Authority control of Gaza is essential to weakening Israel’s justification for its ongoing military strikes.
Earlier this week in New York, Trump met with top Arab and Muslim leaders who cautioned against Israel’s annexation plans. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, told reporters he believed Trump “fully understands the risks and consequences of annexing the West Bank.”
Despite diplomatic moves, the humanitarian situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. Israel has closed the main crossing between the West Bank and neighboring Jordan, restricting movement for more than two million Palestinians living under occupation.
At the same time, Gaza continues to suffer heavy casualties. On Wednesday alone, more than 80 people, including women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to local hospitals. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry reports that since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, over 65,000 people have been killed, including more than 18,000 children.
Trump insists that a Gaza deal is “within reach” and could pave the way for a broader peace settlement between Israel and Palestine. Yet with Israel’s leadership pushing annexation and more countries recognizing Palestinian statehood, the political divide remains wide, leaving the path to a lasting solution deeply uncertain.
