Israel hints it will soon annex the West Bank

According to a report by the Israeli site “Walla”, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio during their meeting on Thursday that Israel intends to announce the annexation of the occupied West Bank “in the coming months”, without specifying a date. The report said Israel is seeking to work quietly on this step, although subsequent official briefings focused only on the situation in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.

Official U.S. position

By contrast, no official statement from Washington has confirmed or denied direct U.S. support for such an announcement. What drew observers’ attention was the official American silence, particularly given that President Donald Trump’s administration previously blocked similar attempts; his earlier stance was decisive in shaping Israeli policy toward annexation or backing away from it. With Trump’s return to the political scene, Washington’s position remains unclear, which could either encourage or deter Israel’s next moves.

Internal deliberations and dispute over timing

There appears to be consensus within the Israeli government on imposing sovereignty over the West Bank, but disagreement is evident over timing: will it be in response to imminent international recognitions of a Palestinian state, or is it an independent ideological move? The Cabinet (the Security‑Political Ministerial Committee) will discuss the issue as a priority at its final meeting this evening.

Expected international response

The Israeli initiative is seen as a possible reaction to expected recognitions of a Palestinian state by countries such as France, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September. Those international moves add pressure on Israel, which views the current U.S. administration period as “a suitable political opportunity” to carry out annexation of parts of the West Bank, especially amid a lack of clarity in Washington’s political stance.