On July 2, 2025, fourteen ministers affiliated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party officially presented a letter to the cabinet leadership calling for the implementation of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank before the conclusion of the Knesset's summer session on July 27, 2025.
The letter, shared by right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich through his X platform account, was signed by key figures including the Ministers of Defense, Economy, and Justice. They argued that the "strategic support from the United States and the current political momentum" create a historic opportunity to secure annexation.
Israeli authorities plan to integrate Israeli civil law in the territories referred to as "Judea and Samaria," transitioning public services from military control to a civilian administration aligned with pro-settler interests.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the demands as a "blatant violation of international law," warning that annexation would worsen tensions and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.
While the United States expressed that it "supports Israel’s security decisions," it has not granted official approval for annexation and reaffirmed its commitment to a two-state resolution. The European Union and Arab nations have also criticized the move, labeling it a threat to regional stability.
Since capturing the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has established over 700,000 Jewish settlers across more than 150 locations, despite the United Nations and the majority of the international community considering all new settlements illegal.
The annexation proposal now awaits a full cabinet decision and potentially a vote in the Knesset. If approved, the change in the territory’s legal status is expected to take effect within a few months.
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