Donald Trump has said he will not allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The US president told White House reporters ahead of Netanyahu's address to the UN General Assembly on Friday: I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank... It's not going to happen.
Trump, who will meet Netanyahu on Monday, also said a ceasefire deal over the war in Gaza was pretty close. Israel is facing increasing global pressure to end the conflict and occupation of the West Bank, as a wave of Western states formally recognize an independent Palestinian state. Far-right Israelis view annexation as a means of preventing a Palestinian state being created.
Ultranationalists in Netanyahu's governing coalition have repeated calls for Israel to annex the West Bank - part of the Palestinian territories - outright. The UK and Germany say they have warned Israel against annexation, while UN Secretary General António Guterres said such a move would be morally, legally and politically intolerable.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he had spoken to Netanyahu as well as other Middle Eastern leaders. We're getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza, and maybe even peace, Trump said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly via video link, expressing readiness to work with world leaders on a peace plan for Israel and Palestine.
Abbas thanked nations that recognized Palestinian statehood, including Canada and Australia, and urged for a Palestinian state to assume full responsibilities for the Gaza Strip following an Israeli withdrawal. Meanwhile, the closure of the only crossing between the West Bank and Jordan has left over two million Palestinians stranded, significantly affecting their access to the outside world.
As tensions escalate, Israel's military campaign in Gaza continues, leading to a substantial loss of life among Palestinians. Recent reports indicate that conditions in Gaza are deteriorating, with UN assessments declaring humanitarian circumstances as catastrophic. Amid this backdrop, international discourse surrounding the recognition of the Palestinian state and the implications of annexation gains momentum as leaders engage in diplomatic dialogues.
Trump, who will meet Netanyahu on Monday, also said a ceasefire deal over the war in Gaza was pretty close. Israel is facing increasing global pressure to end the conflict and occupation of the West Bank, as a wave of Western states formally recognize an independent Palestinian state. Far-right Israelis view annexation as a means of preventing a Palestinian state being created.
Ultranationalists in Netanyahu's governing coalition have repeated calls for Israel to annex the West Bank - part of the Palestinian territories - outright. The UK and Germany say they have warned Israel against annexation, while UN Secretary General António Guterres said such a move would be morally, legally and politically intolerable.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he had spoken to Netanyahu as well as other Middle Eastern leaders. We're getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza, and maybe even peace, Trump said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly via video link, expressing readiness to work with world leaders on a peace plan for Israel and Palestine.
Abbas thanked nations that recognized Palestinian statehood, including Canada and Australia, and urged for a Palestinian state to assume full responsibilities for the Gaza Strip following an Israeli withdrawal. Meanwhile, the closure of the only crossing between the West Bank and Jordan has left over two million Palestinians stranded, significantly affecting their access to the outside world.
As tensions escalate, Israel's military campaign in Gaza continues, leading to a substantial loss of life among Palestinians. Recent reports indicate that conditions in Gaza are deteriorating, with UN assessments declaring humanitarian circumstances as catastrophic. Amid this backdrop, international discourse surrounding the recognition of the Palestinian state and the implications of annexation gains momentum as leaders engage in diplomatic dialogues.
