US signals it won’t oppose Israeli annexation of West Bank

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has privately indicated he does not oppose Israel’s annexation of the West Bank and that the Trump administration would not block it, Axios reported, citing Israeli officials.

At the same time, US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff warned that such a move could reduce Israel’s chances of normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia and complicate Washington’s coordination with Arab states over Gaza’s postwar governance.

Earlier, the UAE told the White House that Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank would undermine the Abraham Accords and hinder hopes for their expansion. A senior Emirati official was quoted as saying Israel now faces a choice of “annexation or integration.”

The White House and State Department declined to comment.