Trump Draws Red Line; Israel Abandons Annexation

President Donald Trump publicly declared he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, calling such annexation a “red line.” House Speaker Mike Johnson said he views Judea and Samaria as belonging to Israel but acknowledged “a lot to resolve,” while far-right settler leaders and ministers, notably Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, continued to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts and bar the Palestinian Authority. A newly circulated U.S. 21-point Gaza plan — proposing a transitional international administration, phased return of governance to a reformed Palestinian Authority and the removal of Hamas — conflicts with annexation demands and would require what some Israeli officials call “painful and significant” concessions. Under reported U.S. and Arab pressure, Israel has reportedly abandoned a formal annexation drive, though settlement expansion on the ground continues and threatens prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state. Israel also faces mounting international isolation over its conduct in Gaza, including an independent UN inquiry that reported evidence of genocide and proposals for EU measures, arms embargoes, divestments and cultural boycotts, prompting Netanyahu to warn of long-term diplomatic and economic fallout.