In a bold move, Donald Trump has warned that Israel may find itself without U.S. support if it goes ahead with plans to annex the West Bank. This statement comes as the President intensifies efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

While Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both stand against annexation, some hardline groups in Jerusalem view occupying the territory as a strategic way to prevent the formation of a Palestinian state.

In an interview with Time Magazine, Trump asserted, “Israel would lose all of its backing from the United States if annexation were to occur,” following the President’s landmark peace agreement in Gaza.

He further emphasized, “It’s not going to happen, as I’ve assured the Arab nations.”

Meanwhile, JD Vance, who visited Israel this week amid a surge in violence in the Gaza Strip, criticized the Israeli parliament. He condemned their decision to support West Bank annexation as a “personal affront.”

Before leaving from Tel Aviv’s airport, the vice-president described the vote as “an incredibly foolish political maneuver.”

‘I personally take some insult to it,’ Vance added. ‘The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.’

Some speculate that the hard-liner’s 25-24 symbolic vote was meant to embarrass Netanyahu while Vance was still in Israel. 

It is unlikely that annexation would pass the multiple rounds of voting required to become law in Israel’s Knesset, and Netanyahu has the ability to delay the proposal should it get that far.

And Trump told reporters during an event at the White House on Thursday: ‘Don’t worry about the West Bank. Israel is not going to do anything with the West Bank.’ 

Vice-President JD Vance said before leaving Israel on October 23 that the Knesset’s symbolic preliminary vote on annexation of the West Bank was a ‘personal insult’

The Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do not support the far-right proposal to annex the Palestinian strong-hold

Trump said he gave his word to Arab countries he would not support Israel annexing the West Bank. Pictured: Israeli forces confront Palestinians in Hebron, West Bank, today

The growing popularity among far-right factions in Israel to annex the West Bank is especially concerning as Trump’s peace deal to end the two-year Israel-Hamas war hangs by a thread.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged before departing for Israel on Wednesday that the Knesset vote could jeopardize the agreement to bring an end to the war in Gaza.

‘President Trump has already made it clear that we do not support such moves right now,’ Rubio said. ‘We are concerned about anything that could undermine what we are working on.’

Trump announced in late September a 20-point plan for an end to the war in Gaza with a deadline for Hamas to accept by October 5 with threats of escalation if it was rejected.

The deal was brokered and mediated by Egypt, Qatar and Jordan and included a phased ceasefire, hostage release, demilitarization and reconstruction plan for the war torn Palestinian enclave.

In the Time interview, Trump stated emphatically that he was integral to ensuring peace in the Middle East. 

‘The most important thing is they have to respect the President of the United States. The Middle East has to understand that. It’s almost the President more than the country,’ he said.

Trump believes a cleaned-up Gaza could attract tourism and has compared it to luxurious destinations including Dubai, Monaco and the French Riviera.

Trump told Time Magazine that ‘Israel would lose all of its support from the United States’ if they annexed the West Bank

Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance visited Israel this week in the early stages of the ceasefire with Hamas. The couple tours the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem earlier today

His deal includes a lengthy and likely very pricey plan to make war-torn Gaza a sought-after vacation spot. 

The plan is holding but frangible in the early stages. 

The ceasefire is active, major hostage exchanges have occurred and aid is flowing into Gaza.

But there are still some outstanding issues straining the deal – like failure to return deceased hostages’ remains and Israeli political moves to annex the other Palestinian enclave in the West Bank.

The United Arab Emirates, a key US and Israeli ally in reaching peace in Gaza, insists annexation would be a ‘red line’.

Some right-wing members of Israeli Parliament are upset over the ceasefire and believe the Jewish state made too many security sacrifices in the deal.