Rubio warns Israeli annexation bill endangers Gaza ceasefire
Rubio has warned that Israel’s push to annex parts of the occupied West Bank threatens to derail the Gaza ceasefire deal
WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Israel’s push to annex parts of the occupied West Bank threatens to derail the Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump.
Speaking to reporters before a diplomatic visit to Israel, Rubio said the Knesset’s preliminary approval of two annexation bills was “not something we can support right now,” calling the move “counterproductive” to ongoing peace efforts.
“The president has made clear this is not something we can support right now. We believe it even threatens the peace deal,” Rubio said, acknowledging Israel’s democratic process but stressing that the timing could jeopardize the fragile truce.
The Israeli parliament’s vote coincides with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to the region, part of Washington’s wider effort to maintain the ceasefire that began on October 10.
Analysts warn that annexing the West Bank would effectively end the prospect of a two-state solution, a framework supported by multiple UN resolutions.
The development also comes amid rising violence in the West Bank, where Israeli operations since October 2023 have caused mounting Palestinian casualties and detentions.
It further defies a landmark International Court of Justice ruling from July, which declared Israel’s occupation illegal and called for the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The annexation push now poses a major challenge to the US-mediated ceasefire, which includes hostage-prisoner exchanges and plans for Gaza’s reconstruction.
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