Likud Ministers Push for West Bank Annexation Amidst U.S. Talks

Cabinet ministers in Israel's Likud party urged the government to annex the occupied West Bank, setting the stage for contentious discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. The ministers issued a petition ahead of crucial talks on a potential Gaza ceasefire with Hamas.

Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, an ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has not endorsed this call. Instead, he is engaged in discussions in Washington concerning Iran and Gaza. The ministers, along with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, call for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank—referred to by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria.

The move, backed by strategic gains against Iran and strong support from the U.S., faces international opposition viewing settlements as illegal. The debate underscores the complex dynamics of Middle Eastern peace and territorial claims.

(With inputs from agencies.)