Tel Aviv — U.S. Vice President JD Vance condemned a preliminary Israeli parliamentary move to apply Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, calling it a “very stupid political stunt” and reiterating that the Trump administration opposes annexation.
Speaking on the tarmac at Ben Gurion Airport at the end of a multi-day visit, Vance said he took “some insult” at the Knesset’s first-pass vote, adding: “The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.”
Israel’s parliament on Wednesday granted initial approval to legislation that would extend Israeli domestic law to parts of the West Bank, a step critics say constitutes de facto annexation. The bill must still pass additional readings before becoming law.
During his visit, Vance met Israeli military leaders and senior officials and announced the launch of a civilian–military coordination center in southern Israel, where roughly 200 U.S. troops are working with the Israel Defense Forces and international partners on plans for Gaza stabilization and reconstruction tied to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
The vice president’s remarks underscore ongoing U.S. support for the ceasefire framework and for a negotiated end-state that avoids unilateral territorial changes. He did not specify potential consequences should the legislation advance, but emphasized Washington’s expectation that Jerusalem align its actions with the broader diplomatic track.
Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will travel to Israel “in the coming days” to “keep momentum” behind the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, signaling continued high-level U.S. engagement as Washington seeks to consolidate the truce and expand humanitarian access to Gaza.
