Trump Warns Israel Would Lose 'All Of US Support' If It Annexes West Bank

Last Updated:October 23, 2025, 18:37 IST

Donald Trump had previously said he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank as Washington negotiated a peace deal to halt the war in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump. (Reuters File)

US President Donald Trump said Israel would lose “all support" from the United States if it proceeds to annex the West Bank, as White House officials heavily criticised a proposed Knesset vote on the matter, which they argue goes against Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

In an interview with TIME Magazine on October 15 that was published on Thursday, Trump said Israel won’t annex the West Bank, and he had given his word to Arab countries. “You can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened," he said.

Washington has repeatedly warned that any unilateral annexation of the West Bank would cross a “red line." In September, Donald Trump said, “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. It’s not going to happen."

Trump also disclosed his plans to visit the Strip, but offered no comment on a reconstituted Palestinian Authority governing post-war Gaza. “I’ve always gotten along with him (Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas). I’ve always found him reasonable, but he’s probably not. But I have always found him reasonable, like, you know, you saw him come up to me and couldn’t have been friendlier, and so I have to—I’d really have to find out," he added.

He also said that “we are very close" to normalisation of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, adding that Riyadh may join the Abraham Accords by the end of this year.

ALSO READ: Marco Rubio Warns Israel Over West Bank Annexation: ‘Threatens Trump’s Peace Plan’

Vance, Rubio Criticise Israel Over Annexation Plans

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance criticised a parliamentary vote in the Knesset on West Bank annexation, calling it an insult to the Trump administration’s efforts to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

His remarks came after the Israeli parliament on Wednesday narrowly passed a symbolic preliminary vote in support of annexing the occupied West Bank, widely seen as an attempt to embarrass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Vance’s visit to Israel. The bill was sponsored by hard-liners in the parliament, although Netanyahu opposed it.

Before departing Israel, Vance said that if the Knesset vote was a “political stunt, then it is a very stupid political stunt."

“I personally take some insult to it," Vance said. “The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also set to visit Israel soon, also warned Israel against moves to annex the occupied West Bank, calling a preliminary parliamentary vote to extend Israeli sovereignty over the area and a surge in settler violence a “threat to peace."

The West Bank, captured by Israel in 1967 after the Six-Day War, is seen by Palestinians as part of a future independent state. While successive governments have avoided formal annexation, they have expanded settlements and declared large tracts of land as “state lands", blocking Palestinian ownership and development.

Israel’s far-right coalition has accelerated settlement approvals in the West Bank after Hamas’ attack in October 2023, which has been associated with increasing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. While most countries consider these settlements as a violation of the Geneva Convention barring the settlement of civilians on occupied land, Israel argues that they are justified by Jewish ties to the land.

According to the UN, Israel has killed almost 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 2023, including 212 children. Trump, who took office in January, rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

(with inputs from agencies)

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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