US President Trump ‘won’t allow Israel to annex West Bank’ but says hostage deal could happen ‘soon’

Amid speculations over Israel’s possible response to a wave of “Palestine” recognitions, U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he would not allow Israel to annex Judea and Samaria, internationally known as the West Bank.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was pressed to confirm reports that he had assured Arab and Muslim leaders he would block Israeli annexations, a move strongly pushed by many of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition partners.

“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump said. “Whether I spoke with Bibi or not – and I did – I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. That’s enough. It’s time to stop now.”

.@POTUS: "I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it." pic.twitter.com/WrZqkbjFYQ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 25, 2025

He later said that he had “a good conversation with Netanyahu. A hostage deal could happen soon,” repeating an earlier comment that the United States is “close to getting some kind of deal done” in the Gaza Strip after a “great” meeting with the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries discussing the future of the enclave.

Trump’s statements came shortly after Netanyahu arrived in New York City ahead of a speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He is also set to meet with Trump to discuss the Gaza War, and the U.S. plan that was presented to the Arab and Muslim leaders earlier this week.

After the meeting, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said he expects a “breakthrough” in the negotiations for a plan to bring about the end of the war in Gaza and for a new administration that would take over governance from Hamas.

“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 on Thursday.

“I’m going to have to tell Israel, ‘Let’s go,'” he added. “We want to get the hostages back. We want them all back at one time.”

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

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and hawkish members of Netanyahu’s Likud party have urged him to declare the annexation of at least symbolic parts of Judea and Samaria in response to the unilateral recognition of the “State of Palestine” by the United Kingdom, France and other nations this week.

Trump’s comments were met with criticism on Friday morning. Dan Illouz, a Knesset Member for the Likud, wrote on 𝕏, “We love and appreciate President Trump for standing by Israel over the years. But the State of Israel is a sovereign nation, and the application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria – our historic homeland – is a decision of the Jewish people alone.”

“No international entity, even if it is a great and beloved friend, can dictate to us how to treat our land,” he said.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, called on Netanyahu to defy Trump’s statement.

“A sympathetic American administration is not an administration that imposes sovereignty or builds in our place; it is an administration with which you can reach agreements and with which you can have disagreements.”

“The responsibility is on Netanyahu. He is the Prime Minister, the one we elected – and he must declare at the UN: this is our land, I am doing what is critical for Israel's continued existence after October 7 and I am applying full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. The majority of the people expect this; most of the nation will not relent on it,” Dagan stated.