On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S. President Donald Trump privately assured a group of Arab leaders that he would block any attempt by Israel to formalize the annexation of the occupied West Bank, according to a Politico report citing sources familiar with the discussions. Trump is said to have presented a white paper outlining his administration’s broader plan for ending the Gaza war, which includes the pledge to oppose annexation.
The reported assurance comes amid growing regional anxiety about Israeli intentions in the West Bank, especially as many nations at the UN summit moved to formally recognise a Palestinian state. Among the Arab delegations present was Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who described his talks with Trump as “fruitful,” though he declined to offer details of the meeting.
If genuine, Trump’s promise would mark a notable shift from earlier signals by Israeli hardliners and some in his own orbit who have staked claims to parts of the West Bank. Some Israeli officials and settlement advocates have long pushed for varying degrees of annexation, arguing that parts of the territory already function under Israeli civil and security administration. But Trump’s gesture reflects acute sensitivity to the geopolitical risk annexation poses—particularly to the Abraham Accords and Israel’s relations with moderate Arab states.
