23.10.2025 22:10
After U.S. President Trump's statement that "Israel will not annex the West Bank; if it does, it will lose U.S. support," Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu took a step back. Netanyahu stated that the vote in the Israeli parliament was a "political provocation" and noted that his party, Likud, and coalition partners did not support the proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the parliamentary vote aimed at annexing the West Bank was a 'political provocation' by the opposition following reactions from the United States. He noted that the Likud party and coalition partners did not support the bill before the vote.
NETANYAHU: WEST BANK VOTE IS A POLITICAL PROVOCATION
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement regarding the vote in the Israeli parliament on the annexation of the West Bank following reactions from the United States. Netanyahu described the vote as a "political provocation" deliberately made by the opposition to create discord during U.S. Vice President James David Vance's visit to Israel. Stating that the bill was not supported by the Likud party and main coalition partners, Netanyahu said, "There is no chance for these bills to pass without Likud's support."
VOTE HELD WHILE VANCE WAS IN ISRAEL
The bill, which foresees the official annexation of Palestinian territories in the occupied West Bank by Jewish settlers, was accepted by a majority in a preliminary vote in the Israeli parliament. Out of the members of the Israeli parliament, 24 voted "no" on the bill, while 25 members voted "yes." Another narrower bill presented by the Leader of the Our Home is Israel Party, Avigdor Liberman, which foresees the annexation of the Maale Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank, also passed in the parliament with 32 votes in favor and 9 against. For the bills to become law, they need to pass three more votes in the parliament.
U.S. Vice President James David Vance, after his two-day visit to Israel, made statements at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv before returning to his country, expressing that the preliminary vote on the annexation of the West Bank in the Israeli parliament "disturbed him" and was "very foolish." Vance stated that the vote was "strange" and somewhat surprised him, mentioning that he was told it was "a political show, had no practical significance," and was "entirely symbolic."
TRUMP: ISRAEL WILL LOSE U.S. SUPPORT IF IT ANNEXES THE WEST BANK
U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview with Time magazine, responded to a question about what kind of reaction Israel would face if it proceeded with the annexation of the West Bank, recalling his statement that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, saying, "This will not happen. It will not happen. Because I promised the Arab countries. And such a thing is not done now. We have great support from the Arabs behind us. If such a thing happens, Israel will lose all support from the U.S."