Article – Israel Moves to Annex West Bank and Parliament Passes Controversial Bill Despite US Opposition

The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has given preliminary approval to a bill aimed at applying Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, a move widely regarded as tantamount to formal annexation. This move has drawn immediate and strong international condemnation, particularly from the United States.

Here are the full details:

The Legislation and Vote

  • Action Taken: The Israeli parliament (Knesset) passed a bill in its preliminary reading that seeks to impose Israeli sovereignty over the territories of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).
  • The Bill’s Effect: If fully passed, the bill would apply Israeli law, judicial system, and administration to the region, effectively constituting the formal annexation of land that Palestinians seek for their future state.
  • Vote Count: The bill passed by a very narrow margin of 25 in favor to 24 against out of 120 lawmakers.
  • Legislative Process: The vote was the first of four readings required for the bill to become law, meaning it must still undergo a lengthy legislative process, including deliberation by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, and pass three more votes in the plenum.
  • Sponsors and Coalition: The bill was put forward by a lawmaker outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s immediate ruling coalition. Crucially, while Netanyahu’s Likud party did not officially support the legislation, members of his ultra-nationalist coalition partners—such as the Jewish Power and Religious Zionism factions—voted in favor.

US Opposition

The vote occurred while US Vice President JD Vance was visiting Israel, highlighting the immediate friction with Israel’s most critical ally.

  • President Trump’s Position: Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that US President Donald Trump is opposed to the annexation.
  • Official US Warning: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the move toward annexation would be “counterproductive” and could be “potentially threatening” to President Trump’s ongoing plan to negotiate a ceasefire and reconstruction plan for Gaza.
  • Long-Standing US Policy: Vance stated unequivocally that the annexation of the West Bank is against President Trump’s policy and “will not happen.”

International and Palestinian Reaction

The move drew swift and widespread condemnation from across the globe:

  • Palestinian Authority: The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the vote, affirming that the occupied Palestinian territory is a single geographic unit over which Israel has no sovereignty.
  • Hamas: The militant group called the bill an “ugly face of the colonial occupation,” stating that the attempts to annex West Bank lands are “invalid and illegitimate.”
  • Arab States:
    • The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which normalized ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, had previously warned that annexation would be a “red line” that could endanger the accords.
    • The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned the measures as a “clear breach of international law” and a sabotage of peace efforts.
    • Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar also issued strong condemnations, calling the move a “blatant violation of international law.”
  • International Law: The UN and the majority of the international community consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Annexing the territory would be widely viewed as an action that would effectively end the viability of a two-state solution.

Chandan Singh

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