Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his coalition to suspend further advancement of Knesset bills intended to annex parts of the West Bank, after intense pressure from the United States and public criticism.
The decision follows a rough preliminary vote this week on two drafts aimed at applying Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc—moves widely seen as steps toward formal annexation. Netanyahu’s office and coalition head Ofir Katz were instructed to halt further legislative work on those proposals “until further notice,” according to local reports.
The annexation push triggered harsh rebukes from U.S. officials. Vice President J.D. Vance, visiting Israel, denounced the vote as a “stupid political stunt” and asserted that annexation would cross a red line for the Trump administration. Trump too had publicly warned that he would withhold U.S. support should Israel proceed with annexation.
Netanyahu defended the suspension as an attempt to avoid damaging the ceasefire in Gaza and to preserve relations with Washington, arguing that the bills had been introduced by opposition factions, lacked coalition backing, and were likely to fail without firm party support. He described the annexation proposals as a “deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord” during Vice President Vance’s visit.
