Israeli Ministers advocate for West Bank annexation, sparking tensions over Palestinian statehood

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israeli officials continue to push for complete control over the West Bank, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich recently stating that 2025 would be the year of Israeli sovereignty over the area.

This statement is in line with Smotrich's actions over the past two years, during which he has worked to strengthen Israeli control over the occupied West Bank and thwart any attempts to incorporate it into a Palestinian state.

Another Israeli official, the Minister for Settlement Affairs Orit Strock, has also called for the continued occupation of the Gaza Strip and the annexation of the West Bank. 

These remarks reflect the growing momentum of discussions surrounding Israel's plans for the West Bank, especially since the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. 

The current U.S. administration, under President Joe Biden, has criticized Israel's settlement expansion, viewing it as an obstacle to peace between Israel and Palestine.

According to reports, there have been discussions about possibly imposing U.S. sanctions on Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The Israeli government is keen to annex the West Bank during Trump's presidency, given his clear support for settlement expansion, which had already been a topic of discussion during his first term in office. 

This shift in Israeli policy is further supported by the appointment of Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel.

However, if Israel moves forward with annexing the West Bank or parts of it, it could undermine the two-state solution, which has long been considered the only viable way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

The two-state solution envisions a peaceful coexistence between an Israeli state and a Palestinian state.

Amid discussions about annexation, questions about the future of Palestinians living in the West Bank have emerged. 

Some analysts suggest a few possible outcomes: Palestinians could either be offered Israeli citizenship with full rights (though this is considered unlikely), or they could face displacement to Jordan—a prospect that the Jordanian leadership has rejected.

Both Egypt and Jordan have made it clear that the displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank would be a "red line" that cannot be crossed. 

Ultimately, Israel appears determined to expand its presence in the West Bank. 

The country appears ready to leverage its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon to impose its terms unless international intervention blocks such a move.