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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Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
Indian police detained more than 2,000 protesters in Delhi on Saturday as authorities blocked a planned demonstration calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over disputed changes to voter lists.
At least 12 people, including three children, have been killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to ease sanctions on Russian diesel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports, questioning why Moscow was granted an economic benefit without an apparent concession towards ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
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