Trump Shuts Down Yehudah and Shomron Annexation, Signals Gaza Deal ‘Close’ Ahead of Netanyahu UN Address

US President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he will not permit Israel to annex Yehudah and Shomron, marking his first public statement on the issue.

“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. It’s not going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about reports that he had assured Arab and Muslim leaders of this position during a multilateral meeting on the UN General Assembly sidelines earlier this week.

Trump emphasized that he had also discussed the matter with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

“I’m not allowing Israel to annex the West Bank,” Trump reiterated. “There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,” he added.

The announcement came as Netanyahu arrived in New York to deliver an address to the United Nations on Friday.

Several countries, including France, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal, have recognized a Palestinian state in recent days, aiming to preserve the potential for a two-state solution. Israel has sharply criticized these moves.

A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel earlier this week that the Trump administration had privately warned Israel against annexing the West Bank in response to the recent recognitions.

Yet Jerusalem did not consider the private warning the “end of the discussion,” and Netanyahu had planned to raise the topic with Trump during their White House meeting next week, the official said.

Even if the caution had been delivered privately, Trump’s public declaration is expected to dampen expectations among settler leaders, who had grown optimistic following his reelection, that annexation could be realized.

Without US backing, Israel is far less likely to move forward with annexation, a step that would carry reduced impact without support from the world’s foremost superpower and could provoke severe international backlash. An Emirati official recently told The Times of Israel that annexation would be a “red line” threatening the “end” of regional integration.

Trump’s stance may also strain Netanyahu’s coalition, as far-right partners have long prioritized annexation and could reconsider their support if the plan is now blocked.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump said the US was “close to getting some kind of deal done” in Gaza, following his “great” multilateral meeting in New York with leaders from eight Arab and Muslim countries.

During a public Oval Office meeting with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump told reporters that “a lot was determined in that meeting” on Tuesday, when he presented a 21-point plan to end the Gaza war and create a non-Hamas governing body for the Strip.

“I have to meet with Israel. They know what I want. I think we can get that one done. I hope we can get that done. A lot of people are dying,” Trump said.

Trump indicated he might press Netanyahu when they meet in Washington on Monday, adding, “I’m going to have to tell Israel, ‘Let’s go.’”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer spoke with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff at the hotel where the Israeli prime minister is staying in New York, reviewing US efforts to end the war and secure hostages. Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly Friday around 4 p.m. Israel time.

“We want to get the hostages back,” Trump said. “We want them all back at one time.”

He suggested that steps regarding Gaza could be taken “today,” without providing details.

“Everyone wants to see that war over with. We’re going to see what happens,” Trump added.

While Trump has repeatedly forecast a Gaza ceasefire during his second term, talks have stalled at times. Nevertheless, Witkoff expressed optimism on Wednesday, expecting a “breakthrough” within days after the Tuesday meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders.

Although details of the 21-point plan remain under wraps, a position paper provided to participating countries outlines steps to end the war and establish a non-Hamas governing authority in Gaza.

According to Channel 12, Trump’s team is urging Netanyahu to adopt the plan, which he and Dermer reviewed “days ago” and found some points objectionable.

“Continuing the war will isolate Israel even further, but accepting the plan and ending the war will extricate Israel from isolation and enable progress in more positive directions in the region, with US backing,” a US source told the network Thursday.

Netanyahu reportedly objects to the fact that the plan does not require Hamas to disarm or Gaza to be demilitarized before the war ends, and he also opposes the provision giving the new Gaza governing mechanism authority under the UN Security Council.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who played a central role in the 2020 “Deal of the Century” and the Abraham Accords, helped craft the framework along with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Kushner accompanied Witkoff to meetings with Netanyahu and Dermer Thursday.

The White House plan largely builds on Blair’s previous proposal, which The Times of Israel revealed last week. Blair has met extensively with regional leaders to gather support for a transitional body to administer Gaza until a reformed Palestinian Authority can take over.

Channel 12 reported Wednesday that senior Israeli officials do not expect Trump to “force a proposal on Israel it doesn’t believe in.”

Unnamed officials said Jerusalem sees the 21-point plan as a blueprint for a post-war Gaza scenario, coordinated with moderate Arab states. The Trump administration hopes this framework will encourage Arab states to invest in Gaza’s reconstruction and civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Channel 12 also reported that the Palestinian Mission to the UN is organizing a walkout during Netanyahu’s address on Friday, which they hope Arab, African, and some European countries will join.