As international attention focuses on a fragile truce in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a stark warning: Israel’s recent parliamentary vote to annex the West Bank could derail President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the conflict in Gaza.
Rubio, speaking before his departure for Israel, described the Knesset’s preliminary approval of the annexation bill as “potentially threatening to the peace deal.” The vote, which passed by 25 to 24, marks the first of four readings needed to apply Israeli law to territory Palestinians want for a future state.
This move comes as the U.S. vice president, JD Vance, concludes his own high-stakes mission in Jerusalem, meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and other senior officials to shore up the ceasefire with Hamas.
At the heart of the debate:
- 700,000 Israeli settlers now live across the West Bank, territory considered occupied under international law.
- Israel’s government cites biblical and historical ties when calling the West Bank “disputed,” opposing the creation of a Palestinian state.
- The annexation bill was introduced by lawmakers outside Netanyahu’s coalition, reflecting deep divisions within Israel’s parliament.
Globally, many see settlement expansion as the biggest sticking point in the Middle East peace process. While the United Nations and much of the international community deem the settlements illegal, Netanyahu’s most right-wing government rapidly increased building permits after coming to power in 2022.
In parallel, UAE officials have warned that annexation is a “red line,” undercutting the Abraham Accords that normalized ties with Israel. Behind closed doors in Abu Dhabi, senior Emirati figures—including the national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan—have discussed strategies with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to reinforce the Gaza ceasefire.
With each vote in the Knesset and high-profile diplomatic shuttle, the stakes remain clear: pushing forward on annexation could unravel a peace framework that, for now, holds the only promise of calm in a region hungry for progress.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
