Trump Rejects Israeli West Bank Annexation, Citing Need for Stability and Peace

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10: United States President Donald Trump has expressed opposition to Israel’s potential annexation of the occupied West Bank, according to a report by Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, citing a senior White House official.

According to the report, Trump believes maintaining stability in the West Bank is crucial for Israel’s security and aligns with the administration’s broader goal of achieving peace in the Middle East.

“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region,” the official was quoted as saying.

Trump has previously stated that he would not support Israel annexing the occupied territories.

The report comes after Israel’s security cabinet recently approved measures to repeal a law restricting the sale of Palestinian land to Jews in the West Bank, unseal land ownership records, and transfer building permit authority in a Hebron settlement bloc from the Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.

The new measures also extend Israeli oversight and enforcement into areas designated as Area A and Area B, citing alleged violations related to unlicensed construction, water infrastructure, and environmental and archaeological damage.

Over the past three years, the Israeli government has reviewed plans for approximately 50,000 new settlement units in the West Bank, alongside the confiscation of around 60,000 dunams (14,826 acres) of land during the ongoing conflict.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The situation remains a major point of tension in the region, with international observers warning that annexation could further undermine prospects for a two-state solution.