Trump’s comments to Time magazine were made by phone on October 15, just days after the Gaza truce plan he helped broker took effect, but were only published Thursday.
“It won’t happen,” Trump said when asked about Israeli calls to annex the Palestinian West Bank, occupied since 1967. “It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries.” He added: “Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”
Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday advanced two bills paving the way for West Bank annexation. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, visiting Israel, echoed Trump’s warning Thursday, condemning the move as a “very stupid political stunt” and affirming, “The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel, the policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel, that will continue to be our policy.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party boycotted the vote, though some coalition members support annexation. Arab and Muslim countries — crucial for providing troops and funding under Trump’s ceasefire plan — warned annexation was a red line. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkiye joined more than a dozen states in a joint statement condemning Israel’s parliamentary vote.
Rubio, after meeting Netanyahu Thursday, expressed cautious optimism. “We feel confident and positive about the progress that’s being made. We’re clear-eyed about the challenges, too,” he said.
Violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. Palestinian health ministry figures show nearly 1,000 Palestinians, including civilians and militants, have died, while at least 43 Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed.
The Gaza truce faced tests when Israeli strikes killed at least 45 Palestinians after two soldiers were killed. Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported another death Thursday from a drone strike.
Vance warned that disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza would be a “very, very tough task.” Under Trump’s 20-point plan, an international security force from Arab and Muslim allies would oversee Gaza’s transition. Delegations from Hamas and rival Fatah met in Egypt to discuss post-war arrangements, according to Al-Qahera News.
Meanwhile, displaced civilians in Gaza continue to face severe hardship. Maher Abu Wafah, 42, said, “We were afraid of dying during the war, and now we’re afraid of living after it. Our lives and our children’s future are slipping away before our eyes. We just want a stable life.”
The World Health Organization confirmed aid remains insufficient. “The situation still remains catastrophic because what’s entering is not enough,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “There is no dent in hunger because there is not enough food.”
