US President Donald Trump has declared that he will not permit Israel to annex the West Bank, pushing back against threats from members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet to take such action.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump was emphatic: “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. No, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen.”
The statement followed questions over whether the US president had given Arab leaders assurances at the United Nations this week that he would prevent any annexation move.
Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, while far-right members of his cabinet have threatened annexation in response to growing recognition of Palestine by several Western countries.
Pressed on whether he directly warned Netanyahu during their phone call earlier Thursday, Trump replied: “Yeah, but I’m not going to allow it.”