President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that the United States would cut off all support to Israel if it proceeded with annexing Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank. The statement came in response to a bill introduced by right-wing members of Israel’s Knesset seeking to apply Israeli sovereignty to the territory.
In an interview with TIME magazine on October 15, President Trump firmly rejected the idea, stating: “It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”
The bill passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset on Wednesday, despite opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has opposed the measure, calling it a “provocation” during the visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who also condemned the move. Vance said he considered the bill a “very stupid political stunt” and a personal insult.
The proposed annexation bill has drawn sharp criticism from Arab and Muslim nations, particularly the United Arab Emirates, which has warned that any such move would endanger future regional peace efforts. The UAE was a leading participant in the Abraham Accords and has consistently opposed Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
Trump’s remarks reflect his ongoing effort to balance support for Israel with maintaining strong ties to Arab states, many of which were engaged in diplomacy during his presidency. The warning signals a clear red line: unilateral annexation would jeopardize the coalition built through the Abraham Accords and potentially unravel diplomatic progress made in the region.
For conservative and Christian voters who view U.S.–Israel relations as critical, Trump’s stance emphasizes the importance of preserving regional peace and honoring strategic commitments to allied nations. It also highlights the tension between supporting Israel’s sovereignty and navigating complex Middle East diplomacy.
