US President Donald Trump has declared he will not allow the Israeli occupation to "annex" the occupied West Bank, rebuffing calls from far-right Israeli politicians who seek full "sovereignty" over the territory.

“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding, “There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now”.

Trump’s remarks came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York to deliver an address at the United Nations. There has been mounting speculation over how Netanyahu might respond to the recognition of Palestine as a state this week by the UK, Australia, France, Canada, Portugal, and others.

Israeli officials have suggested that any step Netanyahu takes, whether full "annexation" of the West Bank, partial "annexation" of border areas, or shutting down consulates in the eastern part of occupied al-Quds, would first be coordinated with Washington.

Regional backlash

Netanyahu faces pressure from far-right coalition partners demanding "annexation", a stance that has alarmed Arab leaders. According to The Guardian and Reuters, Arab and Muslim officials pressed Trump directly during meetings at the UN General Assembly, warning of the “grave consequences” of any "annexation" move.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said Trump “understands very well” the risks, highlighting the success of Arab lobbying efforts detailed in the joint report.

The occupied West Bank has seen expanding settlement activity since the 1967 war. Nearly 700,000 settlers now live among 2.7 million Palestinians, with projects such as the E1 settlement plan threatening to split the territory and sever its connection to the eastern part of occupied al-Quds. Most of the international community regards settlements as illegal under international law, though "Israel" disputes this.

War on Gaza, peace plan

As world leaders convened at the UN, Washington presented a 21-point peace plan to end the nearly two-year war on Gaza. Trump, quoted in the joint report by The Guardian and Reuters, said he had held talks with Netanyahu and regional leaders, stressing that a breakthrough could be close.

“We want the hostages back, we want the bodies back, and we want to have peace in that region. So we had some very good talks,” Trump said.

This comes amid reports that the White House is supporting a proposal that would place former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at the helm of a temporary administration to govern the Gaza Strip.

The plan envisions the creation of the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA), which would act as Gaza’s “supreme political and legal authority” for up to five years. Blair would lead a 25-member secretariat and chair a seven-person board overseeing an executive body responsible for managing the territory.

The White House argues the initiative offers a middle ground between US President Donald Trump’s earlier proposal for the US and "Israel" to directly control Gaza and a UN-backed plan endorsed by over 140 states calling for a one-year technocratic administration under the New York declaration.

An Israeli plan relayed to Washington?

Details of the plan surfaced after Trump met in New York with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump described the discussions as “successful", adding that “we’re close to getting some kind of deal done.” 

Arab states have stressed that any international involvement must be tied to a credible timeline for Palestinian statehood. Without such assurances, some argue the Blair-led body risks being perceived as an extended foreign trusteeship.

Washington is pushing for Arab and Muslim states to commit troops to Gaza as part of a so-called peacekeeping force that would enable an Israeli withdrawal. The US is also seeking financial pledges from these countries for reconstruction and to support Gaza’s transitional administration.

A US official told Axios that “the meeting could be fairly significant,” stressing that the Trump administration wants “regional buy-in and support to make it successful.” An Arab official added that Trump is seeking “feedback and support for the US plan to end the war and then push it forward.”