U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting pressure from Israeli far-right politicians as Arab and Muslim leaders warned of grave regional consequences.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump declared, “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.”
His comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York to address the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, after weeks of mounting pressure from his coalition allies to extend sovereignty over Palestinian land.
France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal have recently formally recognised Palestinian statehood in the last few days - a move condemned by Israel but praised by Arab leaders as necessary to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.
About 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Most of the international community views settlements as illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.
Trump has faced strong warnings from Saudi Arabia and other regional powers that annexation would destabilise the Middle East further.
Gaza conflict
Alongside the West Bank dispute, Washington has circulated a 21-point peace plan to leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan aimed at ending the nearly two-year Gaza war.
Trump said he had spoken with Netanyahu and Arab leaders this week and signalled optimism.
“We want the hostages back, we want the bodies back and we want to have peace in that region. So we had some very good talks,” Trump said.
Israel has pressed deeper into Gaza City, while aid flotillas, The Global Sumud Flotilla, containing around 50 civilian boats, supported by Italy and Spain navy ships, continue attempts to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Strip.
These boats are in reaction to reports that part of Gaza is suffering from famine according to a global hunger monitor.
Israel insists control of the West Bank and its settlement network is vital for security, especially after Hamas’ deadly 7 October, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. About 20 hostages are still believed to be alive.
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A NATO delegation was received by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in the country's capital on Thursday (6 November) as well as with the deputy permanent representatives of the U.S. and France to the security alliance organisation, with talks focusing on global and regional issues.
France's Louvre Museum began a security audit a decade ago but the recommended upgrades will not be completed until 2032, the state auditor said in a report on Thursday compiled before a spectacular heist there last month.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
The driver who rammed his car into a crowd in western France on Wednesday is suspected of "self-radicalisation" and had "explicit religious references" at home, the country's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Thursday.
The Champions League match between Qarabağ FK and Chelsea ended 2–2 at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday (5 November).
Brussels airport, Belgium's busiest, reopened on Wednesday morning after drone sightings during the previous night had resulted in it being temporarily closed, although some flights remained disrupted, its website said.
A French court has postponed the trial of a suspect linked to the Louvre jewellery heist in a separate case, citing heavy media scrutiny and concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.
Russia remains in constant contact with Venezuela over tensions in the Caribbean, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
U.S. federal investigators have recovered the flight recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed and erupted in flames during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least 12 people and halting airport operations.
Poland will roll out a new military training programme this month as part of a broader plan to train around 400,000 people in 2026, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
A NATO delegation was received by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in the country's capital on Thursday (6 November) as well as with the deputy permanent representatives of the U.S. and France to the security alliance organisation, with talks focusing on global and regional issues.
France's Louvre Museum began a security audit a decade ago but the recommended upgrades will not be completed until 2032, the state auditor said in a report on Thursday compiled before a spectacular heist there last month.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
The driver who rammed his car into a crowd in western France on Wednesday is suspected of "self-radicalisation" and had "explicit religious references" at home, the country's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Thursday.
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