US looks to set up naval base in Australia to advance AUKUS; Vance criticises Israeli parliament’s vote to annex West Bank; King Charles and Pope Leo pray together in 500-year first
US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the Israeli parliament’s decision to annex the occupied West Bank.
Yesterday, far-right politicians in the Knesset gave preliminary approval to a bill implementing Israeli law in the region. Vance, who is in Israel, called it “a very stupid political stunt.”
Rubio also warned that annexation would threaten US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
US Vice President JD Vance.Credit: access point
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was clear in condemning the vote as “a deliberate political provocation by the opposition to create discord.”
In the statement made by Netanyahu’s office, it was emphasized that his right-wing party and coalition partners did not vote positively for the bill and that it was unlikely to get anywhere without their political support.
“If this was a political demonstration, it was a very stupid political demonstration, and I personally accept that kind of insult,” Vance told reporters.
“The West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank should not be annexed by Israel.”
With agencies
