Vice President J.D. Vance denounced a vote by Israeli lawmakers to advance West Bank annexation as “weird” and personally offensive, in comments as he departed Israel after a two-day visit aimed at shoring up the Gaza ceasefire.
In part to increase pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right-wing lawmakers signed off on two bills related to annexation on Wednesday in an early stage of the legislative process. Most members of Netanyahu’s party boycotted the votes, and the bills are seen as unlikely to advance to become law.
President Donald Trump has said annexation is off the table in his view as he seeks to solidify peace in the region and secure additional relationships between Israel and Arab nations.
Vance said he was told the Knesset vote was purely symbolic, which he said he did not understand. “If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it,” he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is replacing Vance in Israel, two weeks into the U.S.-brokered truce in the Gaza war amid questions over its durability. Trump’s plan said it aimed to create “a credible pathway” toward a Palestinian state, of which portions of the West Bank would be an expected component.
Rubio also criticized the annexation vote in comments to reporters late Wednesday. “They’re a democracy, they’re going to have their votes. People are going to take these positions,” Rubio said. But, he added, “We think it might be counterproductive.”
Trump’s stance on the issue received new clarity on Thursday as Time Magazine published the full transcript of its interview with him earlier this month. Asked what the consequences would be if annexation moved forward despite Trump’s instruction to Netanyahu not to allow it, the president said the cost would be steep.
“It won’t happen. It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries,” Trump said. “And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”
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