Trump vows he ‘will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (not pictured) at the Prime Minister’s Office, during Rubio’s visit, in Jerusalem, September 15, 2025. REUTERS
President Trump on Thursday pledged to prevent Israel from expanding its war with Hamas beyond Gaza, directly rejecting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to annex parts of the West Bank as more countries move to recognize Palestinian statehood.
“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after speaking with Netanyahu earlier in the day. “I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen. It’s been enough, it’s time to stop now.”
His strong response comes after Netanyahu and his allies signaled intentions to seize portions of the West Bank following a wave of recognition for Palestinian statehood. Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia recently joined over 140 nations at the United Nations in supporting Palestinian claims over Gaza and the West Bank.
Netanyahu denounced those moves, arguing they reward Hamas for the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and left 251 kidnapped.
The West Bank—home to roughly three million Palestinians—is bordered on three sides by Israel. The territory was under Jordanian control until Israel captured it during the 1967 Six-Day War, and has since been administered under a mix of Israeli military rule and limited Palestinian Authority governance. Israel maintains that the West Bank is historically and biblically tied to the Jewish people, citing its heritage as the site of the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Samaria.
Over the decades, Israelis have built settlements throughout the West Bank, which much of the international community considers illegal. Trump, who has consistently pushed for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, did not detail what measures he would take to block Netanyahu’s annexation plans.
Still, the United States remains Israel’s most important ally on the world stage. Netanyahu is set to address the United Nations on Friday.
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