President Donald Trump warned Israel would lose its crucial backing from the United States if it annexes the occupied West Bank, as visiting Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced confidence that a US-backed ceasefire in Gaza would hold.
Trump's remarks were made to Time magazine by telephone on 15 October - just days after the Gaza truce plan he spearheaded took effect - but were only published on Thursday.
"It won't happen," Trump said when asked about calls in Israel to annex the Palestinian West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. "It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries."
He added: "Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened."
https://www.newarab.com/news/trump-us-will-cut-all-ties-if-israel-annexes-west-bank
Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday advanced two bills paving the way for West Bank annexation, leading to condemnation Thursday from US Vice President JD Vance, who was in Israel at the time and who echoed Trump's comments.
When asked on Thursday if he was concerned by the votes, Trump told reporters at the White House: "Don't worry about the West Bank. Israel's not going to do anything with the West Bank."
The United States remains Israel's most important military and diplomatic supporter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party boycotted and criticised the vote, though members of his ruling coalition support annexation.
Arab and Muslim countries, which the US has been courting to provide troops and money for a stabilisation force in Gaza -- a key element of Trump's ceasefire plan - have warned that annexation of the West Bank is a red line.
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