Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, amid reports of a pending ceasefire deal in Gaza and a surge of anti-Israeli sentiment around the world.
This sentiment has translated in recent weeks into a wave of Western nations, some of them allies of Israel, recognizing a Palestinian state. The move has been slammed by both Israel and the US, which have labeled it a prize for the Hamas terrorist organization.
In response, the Israeli right wing has called on Netanyahu to declare Israeli sovereignty over territories in the West Bank, including areas in East Jerusalem.
Last week, Trump told reporters he would not allow such a move. This was a surprise to many on the right wing who view the Trump administration as favorable to the idea, backed by statements made by senior American officials in the not-so-recent past.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza almost two years ago, Israel has come under mounting pressure to stop the war, as criticism of its conduct increases. This criticism has translated into measures against the Jewish state—from arms embargoes to academic and cultural boycotts, Israel is increasingly isolated in the international arena. For Arab and Gulf countries that have relations with Israel, annexation of territories seen as part of a future Palestinian state is perceived as a red line that could threaten those relations.
A delegation of settler leaders left for the US over the weekend in an effort to meet Netanyahu before his meeting with the US president and embolden him to make the sovereignty announcement.
“There is a high chance this will not happen,” Yishai Fleisher, international spokesperson for the Jewish city of Hebron, told The Media Line. “It is not on their mind even though it was a great opportunity to push for Israeli sovereignty in places that it would make simple sense to do it, especially because of the international tsunami of recognition of so-called Palestine.”
Netanyahu takes pride in his close relationship with Trump. As Israel finds itself more alone on the international stage, it needs an ally in the White House even more.
I cannot see Netanyahu announcing such a move after Trump openly objected to it
“I cannot see Netanyahu announcing such a move after Trump openly objected to it,” said Zehava Galon, president of Zulat, an Israeli left-wing-affiliated research institution and former chairperson of the left-wing Meretz party.
Fleisher believes Trump’s striking down of the idea, which came after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was requested by Netanyahu himself in order to save him from internal pressure to make the controversial move that threatens to push Israel into greater isolation.
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“It’s a combination of Arab and Middle Eastern countries putting a lot of pressure, and with Netanyahu’s own reticence, looks to have foiled that opportunity,” Fleisher added.
The Netanyahu government’s policy has been to increase Israel’s presence in the West Bank. The Israeli leader himself has promised sovereignty and annexation of the West Bank in the past, but has never delivered on the contentious promise.
Israel has been expanding its settlements for years. Although construction has occasionally been curtailed due to American pressure during Democratic administrations, Israel has meticulously cemented its West Bank presence, creating a reality that seems likely to impede any attempt to establish a Palestinian state. The current Netanyahu government, the most right-wing to ever govern in Israel, has adopted a policy of expedited expansion.
According to various settlement watchdogs, since late 2022, tens of thousands of new housing units have been approved in the West Bank. Previously illegal outposts and unrecognized settlements have been approved. Construction on major infrastructure projects has also accelerated, signaling clear intentions.
Annexation is already happening, and even without an official announcement, many of Israel’s moves prevent territorial continuity for a future Palestinian state
“Annexation is already happening, and even without an official announcement, many of Israel’s moves prevent territorial continuity for a future Palestinian state,” said Galon.
“Some of the moves are irreversible,” she added, saying approvals of thousands of units could still be reversed if construction has not yet begun.
In an unprecedented move, Netanyahu gave ultra-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich additional authorities in the Defense Ministry as part of the coalition agreement signed in late 2022. These authorities include overseeing settlement construction in the West Bank and playing a critical role in decisions pertaining to the daily lives of both Jews and Palestinians in those territories. Smotrich is a staunch opponent of a Palestinian state and has repeatedly called for complete annexation.
“Netanyahu has to maneuver between his coalition and Trump,” said Galon. “Netanyahu will try to tell his coalition partners that there is a de facto annexation already in the process, without it being de jure.”
Israeli media quoted a Netanyahu confidant who reportedly told senior coalition partners that annexation would delay construction in the West Bank because of the added bureaucracy that comes with being officially part of the state.
Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War, and most members of the current government view the area as an integral part of the Jewish homeland. The international community, however, considers the Israeli presence a military occupation and views the settlement of 700,000 Jews in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the years as illegal. Palestinians consider the West Bank and East Jerusalem the core of their future state.
Israelis refer to the West Bank territories by their biblical names—Judea and Samaria.
In 1994, as part of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) was established and granted full control over parts of the West Bank known as Area A, as well as partial civil control over Area B. Israel retained full control over Area C. The Israeli government has accused the PA of inciting and funding terrorism, noting that it does not fully control certain areas, allowing attacks to originate from them. These accusations have increased since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7, 2023.
The war, which began with a surprise offensive by the Hamas terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip, shocked Israelis to the core. For some, it was proof that a Palestinian state should never be established. For others, it was a stark reminder of the need for a peace process and a solution to the conflict that has been afflicting both Israelis and Palestinians for decades.
“Judea and Samaria is a mountainous region,” Fleisher explained. “Whoever controls it controls the coastal region, controls the area of the Jordan Valley and hugs Jerusalem. If there is foreign sovereign control of this area, as was in Gaza, they will do everything to destabilize Israel using the territory as their forward base for jihad.”
For many in Israel’s opposition, annexation is considered a dangerous move that not only threatens Israel’s already precarious international position but also poses a grave security risk.
Annexation does not promote Israel’s security but rather threatens it by creating motivation for terror
“Annexation does not promote Israel’s security but rather threatens it by creating motivation for terror,” said Galon. “Agreements must be reached, ones that recognize a Palestinian state as part of a regional arrangement with Saudi Arabia and other countries.”
Although he has promised to apply sovereignty in the past, Netanyahu has also vowed to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia. Trump is also looking to secure such a deal, which would be considered groundbreaking for the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has been very vocal in its opposition to annexation, making it a major stumbling block to any peace with Israel.
Regardless of whether annexation will be announced, Israel still retains control of much of the territories and has cemented its civilian and military presence there, leaving Palestinians and the international community with their demands unmet. Within Israel, a severely weakened opposition has little leverage against the government, making any policy change appear unlikely, although a formal announcement will have to await American approval.