Vance and Rubio Express Concern Over Israeli West Bank Annexation Vote

Tue Oct 28 2025 09:03:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have condemned the Israeli Knesset's preliminary vote to annex parts of the West Bank, warning it could jeopardize international peace efforts.

In a recent vote, Israeli lawmakers took a significant step toward annexation of the occupied West Bank, prompting criticism from US officials JD Vance and Marco Rubio. They branded the move as counterproductive to ongoing peace efforts, particularly in relation to President Trump's plan for the region. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu downplayed the vote, emphasizing that it was not backed by his government. Tensions surrounding this issue have escalated, reflecting the complex dynamics of international relations and domestic politics in Israel.

US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have criticised a move by Israel's parliament towards annexation of the occupied West Bank.

On Wednesday, far-right politicians in the Knesset took the symbolic step of giving preliminary approval to a bill applying Israeli law in the territory, which the Palestinians claim as part of a hoped-for independent state.

At the end of a trip to Israel, Vance branded it a 'very stupid political stunt'. Rubio warned before flying to Israel that annexation would threaten President Donald Trump's plan to end the conflict in Gaza.

Israel's prime minister called the move a 'deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord'.

A statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office stressed that his right-wing Likud party and its ultra-Orthodox coalition partners did not vote for the bill, 'except for one disgruntled Likud member who was recently fired from the chairmanship of a Knesset committee'.

'Without Likud support these bills are unlikely to go anywhere,' it added.

The prime minister's office put out the statement in English after Vance was asked about the vote by reporters before he boarded his plane at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.

'If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt and I personally take some insult,' he said. '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.'

Time magazine also published an interview with President Trump in which he insisted that annexation would not happen 'because I gave my word to the Arab countries.'

'Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened,' he added.

Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since it occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them. The settlements are illegal under international law - a position supported by an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice last year.

Before leaving for Israel on Wednesday night, Rubio said annexation would be 'counterproductive' for Trump's Gaza peace plan - reiterating US opposition to annexation.

'I think the president's made clear that's not something we'd be supportive of right now. And we think it's even threatening to the peace deal,' he said.

His visit on Thursday comes hot on the heels of trips by Vance and two US special envoys, as the Trump administration attempts to push for the start of talks on the second critical phase of his 20-point Gaza peace plan.

The bill passed in a 25-24 vote. It is unclear whether it has support to win a majority in the Knesset, and there are ways the prime minister can delay or defeat it.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the Knesset's move, saying Israel would have no sovereignty over Palestinian land.