Trump Warns Israel of Losing U.S. Support Over West Bank Annexation

Donald Trump warned Israel it could lose U.S. support if it annexes the West Bank. He expects Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and may push for Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti’s release. Meanwhile, Vance and Rubio cautioned Israel as lawmakers advanced annexation bills, threatening the Gaza ceasefire.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that Israel would lose its crucial support from the United States if it proceeds with the annexation of the occupied West Bank. In a Time magazine interview conducted by telephone on October 15 and published on Thursday, Trump made it clear that such a move would jeopardize the close ties between Washington and Tel Aviv, which have been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East for decades.

Trump’s remarks came as both Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed similar sentiments, cautioning Israel against taking steps that could escalate tensions in the region and undermine ongoing peace efforts. The issue of annexation has been a long-standing point of contention, as Israel’s settlement expansions and political moves in the occupied territories have faced strong international criticism.

“It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support,” Trump said when asked what the consequences would be for Israel if it went ahead with annexing the West Bank. He emphasized that U.S. backing for Israel would vanish under such circumstances, stating unequivocally, “Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”

The former president also expressed optimism about strengthening ties between Israel and Arab nations through the Abraham Accords. He said he believed Saudi Arabia would join the normalization agreements before the end of the year. “Yes, I do. I do,” Trump said confidently when asked if Riyadh would join within that timeframe. He elaborated that several obstacles which had previously hindered progress — notably the conflict in Gaza and tensions over Iran’s nuclear program — were now largely resolved. “See, they had a problem. They had a Gaza problem, and they had an Iran problem. Now they don’t have those two problems,” Trump added, referring to the U.S. air strikes earlier this year that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and Israel’s ongoing efforts to stabilize Gaza.

Trump further disclosed that he was considering whether to push for the release of high-profile Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti as part of a broader peace initiative. “I will be making a decision on that soon,” he said, suggesting that the move could be part of a renewed push toward reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Barghouti, a senior figure in the Fatah movement, has long been seen as a potential unifying leader for the Palestinians. He was among the prisoners Hamas wanted released as part of a Gaza deal, according to Egyptian state-linked media.

In recent weeks, Trump has sent a series of senior U.S. officials to Israel in an effort to reinforce the fragile Gaza ceasefire he brokered earlier this month. Despite these diplomatic efforts, political developments within Israel have complicated the situation. As Vice President Vance concluded his three-day visit and Secretary Rubio arrived in the country, Israeli lawmakers advanced two controversial bills aimed at paving the way for the annexation of the West Bank.

Vance, visibly frustrated by the move, described it as “a very stupid political stunt” and said he took personal offense at the timing, given ongoing diplomatic negotiations. Meanwhile, Rubio, speaking before his departure from Washington, warned Israel that annexation efforts and the recent surge in settler violence threatened to unravel the Gaza truce and destabilize regional peace.

The debate over the West Bank annexation has once again placed Israel’s government under intense scrutiny from its allies and adversaries alike. Trump’s direct warning marks a significant shift from his earlier tenure, during which he was widely viewed as one of Israel’s strongest supporters. His latest remarks suggest that even among Israel’s closest friends in Washington, patience with its expansionist policies may be wearing thin.