Trump speaking at the UNGA, where he pledged to block Israel from annexing the West Bank. Image credit: UN Photo Library
(The Post News) – Donald Trump, the president of U.S., has made a promise to Arab and Muslim leaders that he would prevent Israel from taking over the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This commitment comes at a period when an increasing number of nations are formally acknowledging Palestine as a state.
This week, the commitment was fulfilled during events at the United Nations General Assembly. Here, Trump had private meetings with leaders from Middle East and other regions. These discussions came after a change in diplomatic relations as countries like United Kingdom, Canada and Australia officially recognized Palestine. This has increased worldwide stress on Israel.
Arab Leaders Press Trump for Guarantees on West Bank Annexation
As some people who know about these private talks say, from Arab and Muslim-majority countries have shown worry that the far-right coalition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might seek to annex. They cautioned this action could disrupt delicate normalization agreements with Israel and cause more turmoil in the area.
Trump, who many people saw as very close to Israel during his time in office, shocked quite a few when he told the group that annexation would not be allowed while he was President. One person said “Netanyahu doesn’t act in the area without approval from U.S.,” highlighting how important Trump’s words were.
Later, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Trump characterized the West Bank’s annexation as a “red line,” warning it might disrupt efforts to establish enduring peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Macron shared regional leaders’ concerns that this matter could unsettle hard-earned agreements like the Abraham Accords.
The message made a strong change from Trump’s past views. When he was president, his government accepted Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and backed the growth of Israeli settlements. However, this week’s promise hints at a different thinking maybe because Trump wants to present himself again as someone who can make deals internationally.
The moment when Trump made his comments is important. Recently, some Western countries have recognized Palestine and Palestinian leaders are celebrating this as a move towards the legitimacy they’ve been denied for long. Experts suggest that this diplomatic movement shows annoyance with the halted peace talks and Israel’s continuous military actions in Gaza.
For a lot of Arab leaders, stopping the annexation of West Bank is very important to maintain hope for a two-state solution. If annexation happens, it would cause future Palestinian state to be split geographically and weak politically.
In Israel, Netanyahu often says no to the idea of a Palestinian state and doesn’t seem interested in discussions about peace. Soon, he is supposed to speak at United Nations where many people will pay attention to what he says about Trump’s promise and the increasing recognition of Palestine.
In the meantime, violence in Gaza is ongoing as Israel strengthens its attacks. This comes despite international calls for them to show restraint. Aid organizations are raising alarms that the situation is getting worse, while diplomatic talks become more pressing on a worldwide scale.
Trump’s promise to stop the West Bank annexation might become a crucial change in Middle East diplomacy. This shows a possible change in U.S influence and could potentially slow down Israel’s territorial plans when more international support for Palestinians is increasing.
We will see if his promise turns into long-term action. For the moment, it gives Arab leaders some comfort and Palestinians an uncommon glimpse of hope – that their aspiration for statehood, bolstered by increasing recognition, might still be attainable.
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