US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have sharply criticised Israel’s preliminary vote to apply Israeli law in the occupied West Bank, a move viewed as a step toward annexation.
Israel’s parliament has passed a bill advancing the annexation of the occupied West Bank, a blatant violation of international law.
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The symbolic bill, narrowly passed 25–24 in the Knesset, was introduced by opposition MPs and lacks government backing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “political provocation,” clarifying that his Likud party did not support the vote.
During his visit to Israel, Vance called the proposal a “very stupid political stunt,” reaffirming that the US policy under President Donald Trump opposes annexation. Rubio similarly warned that annexation could jeopardize Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which recently achieved a fragile ceasefire.
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the Knesset’s decision, saying Israel has “no sovereignty” over Palestinian land. The bill must pass three more readings before becoming law, though its chances remain uncertain.
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