- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The United States has issued an unambiguous warning to Israel after the Knesset narrowly approved a preliminary bill seeking to apply Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. The move, viewed as a step toward annexation, has been met with sharp criticism from Washington. President Donald Trump made it clear that such actions would risk Israel’s longstanding alliance with the United States.
In an interview published by Time magazine on Thursday, Trump reaffirmed his stance, saying, “It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. You can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.” He emphasised that any attempt by Israel to annex the West Bank would be a breach of US commitments made to Arab allies and could unravel the fragile regional peace efforts.
The Controversial Knesset Vote
The bill, titled “Application of Israeli Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, 2025,” passed by a razor-thin 25–24 margin in the Knesset on Wednesday. Proposed by far-right MK Avi Maoz, the legislation aims to extend Israeli law into the occupied territory. The bill will now move to the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee for further review.
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The proposed legislation has sparked widespread concern among Palestinians and international observers, who see it as a direct step toward formal annexation.
Washington’s Strong Reaction
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in, warning that the unilateral move “poses a potential threat to the peace process.” Speaking in Jerusalem, Rubio stated, “Israel is a democratic country; it can take its own votes and positions, but at this time, this move could have adverse consequences.” He added that the US administration was “not supportive” of the decision and considered annexation a “red line.”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office described the vote as a “deliberate political provocation” by opposition lawmakers aimed at stirring controversy during US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel. Vance himself criticised the move, calling it “a very stupid political stunt” and “an insult” to ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Trump also revealed that he had personally intervened to stop Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from continuing the war in Gaza, claiming it “would have gone on for years.” He expressed optimism about Israel’s future relations with Saudi Arabia, saying he expected “ties to improve by the end of the year.”
Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War and has since maintained military control over the territory. While formal annexation has been avoided for decades, the expansion of Israeli settlements and the restriction of Palestinian development have intensified tensions.