Trump warned that any decision to annex the occupied Palestinian territories would lead to a complete cessation of aid from the U.S. “If this happens, Israel will lose all support,” he emphasized, adding that he intends to fulfill his commitments to Arab states.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, returning from a trip to Israel, characterized the discussion of the bill as an “insult” and “nonsense,” noting that the Trump administration is categorically opposed to annexation. The bill implies the annexation of illegal Jewish settlements located in the occupied West Bank. It passed a preliminary vote in the Knesset, where 25 deputies voted “for” and 24 “against.” Three more readings are needed for its final approval.
The International Court of Justice previously recognized the Israeli occupation and the construction of settlements on Palestinian lands as illegal, demanding an immediate halt to their expansion. However, a number of Israeli politicians continue to assert that annexation is “historically justified.”
