US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over the area and snuff out hopes for a Palestinian state.
Advertisement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced some pressure from allies to annex the West Bank, prompting alarm among Arab leaders, some of whom met Trump on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,” he said.
France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal are among the countries that have recognised a Palestinian state in the last few days in part to help keep the possibility of a two-state solution alive. Israel has condemned the moves.
Advertisement
Trump made the comments as Netanyahu was arriving in New York to deliver an address to the United Nations on Friday.