Trump’s Stance on Israeli Annexation
President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that Israel wouldn’t proceed with the annexation of the West Bank, which includes regions known as Judea and Samaria.
During his speech at the UN General Assembly earlier this week, Trump discussed his conversations with key Middle Eastern leaders, notably Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding the situation in Gaza. “And we’re about to get to the end of the Gaza situation. It’s really bad, it’s very bad. And I think it can happen. Maybe it can happen soon,” he noted. “We want to get hostages back. We want to get their bodies back. And we want to have peace in the area.”
At the same time, Netanyahu was contemplating the annexation of Judea and Samaria in light of several global leaders showing support for the recognition of a Palestinian state. The demographics of the West Bank show a population of over 700,000 Israelis and about 3.3 million Palestinians.
Prior to Trump’s comments, Netanyahu indicated he would clarify Israel’s position following a meeting with the president at the White House on Monday. Moreover, his office initiated a campaign known as “October 7” in New York on Friday, featuring large signs and trucks in prominent locations like the United Nations and Times Square before Netanyahu’s address at the UN.
In his speech, Netanyahu took aim at countries advocating for a Palestinian state, suggesting that they were dismissing the realities of the situation. “This week, leaders of France, the UK, Australia, Canada, and others recognized the Palestinian state unconditionally, and they did it after the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th,” he remarked. “Do you know what message this sent? Murdering Jews is rewarding.”
On Thursday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a video message at the UN General Assembly, responding to Trump’s earlier visa denial. Abbas expressed his willingness to collaborate with Trump, Saudi Arabia, France, and the UN to push forward a peace plan that had received endorsement earlier in the week. “Today, we clearly state: peace cannot be achieved unless justice is achieved, and there is no justice if Palestine is not released,” he emphasized.
