Fri Sep 26 02:48:01 UTC 2025: ## Trump Rejects West Bank Annexation, Threatening Netanyahu’s Coalition
**New York, NY** – In a surprise statement ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrival at the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump declared that he will not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank. This stance puts Trump at odds with Netanyahu and the ultranationalist faction within his government, who have been pushing for annexation.
“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope. I will not allow. It’s not gonna happen,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. While offering no specific plans to prevent annexation, Trump’s statement throws a wrench into the political aspirations of key figures in Netanyahu’s coalition, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right leader residing in an illegal settlement in the West Bank.
Analysts are skeptical of Trump’s commitment. “One attaches value to Trump’s words at their own peril,” said Mouin Rabbani, an analyst at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, questioning whether Trump will follow through with action.
The annexation of the West Bank is a key objective for many in Netanyahu’s government. In July, Israeli lawmakers passed a non-binding motion in favor of annexation. Smotrich has also opposed efforts to end the war in Gaza, and unveiled a plan for extensive settlement expansion, which he says, “finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state.”
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank have been ongoing since 1967, despite a recent ruling by the International Court of Justice declaring them illegal and demanding their discontinuation.
The US has long been a key ally to Israel, providing substantial financial, military, and intelligence support. A shift in US policy on annexation could destabilize Netanyahu’s coalition government, especially its far-right elements.
Trump also briefly addressed the situation in Gaza as “really bad, very bad,” and mentioned “very, really good talks” with Arab state leaders and Netanyahu regarding a potential peace deal. Earlier in the week, Trump met with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Indonesia, and Pakistan to discuss ending Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza.
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