&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump’s 21-point peace plan: Will it stop Netanyahu from annexing the West Bank? Arab leaders say the US president promised")
US President Donald Trump assured Arab and Muslim leaders on Tuesday that he would not allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the West Bank, according to a Politico report. The report said Trump was firm on the point, stressing that Israel would not be permitted to absorb the territory, which is governed by the Palestinian Authority. Another source said that even with this assurance, a ceasefire to end Israel’s nearly two-year war with Hamas remained far out of reach.
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What plan did Trump’s team present?
The report said Trump’s team presented a white paper outlining its vision for ending the conflict. The document included the annexation pledge as well as proposals on governance and postwar security. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for peace missions, shared some details the following day at the Concordia summit in New York. “We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast in Gaza,” he said. “I think it addresses Israeli concerns and as well, the concerns of all the neighbours in the region.” Witkoff did not mention the West Bank directly.
How did Arab leaders respond?
Before the meeting at the United Nations, Trump told reporters it was his “most important” engagement of the day. He left without taking questions and no official readout was issued. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later called the meeting “fruitful” in an interview with Fox News but did not share details. Erdogan is scheduled to meet Trump again at the White House on Thursday.
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Arab leaders have been increasingly frustrated by Trump’s backing of Netanyahu’s war and his refusal to recognise a Palestinian state. Ahead of the talks, they warned that any Israeli move to annex the West Bank could shatter the Abraham Accords, Trump’s signature diplomatic achievement that normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
Why does annexation remain a flashpoint?
Calls within Israel to formally annex parts of the West Bank have grown after several US allies recognised a Palestinian state. Far-right members of Netanyahu’s government see this as a chance to deliver on a long-held ambition of absorbing the territory. Netanyahu, facing elections next year, may use the issue to shore up support among hardliners. His government has already expanded settlements and deepened security control across the West Bank.
Arab and European officials have warned that annexation would end any remaining prospects of a two-state solution and block Israel’s integration into the wider Middle East.
Netanyahu is set to meet Trump at the White House on Monday. Arab officials and other observers are watching closely to see if Trump will take a tougher line on the Israeli leader. The war has already killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, and Arab states insist that annexation of the West Bank is a red line.
