Fifteen Israeli cabinet ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party have signed a petition urging immediate annexation of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The push comes ahead of Netanyahu’s upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, where they are expected to discuss a 60-day Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
The ministers, joined by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, demanded that Israeli sovereignty be applied over Judea and Samaria—the biblical terms for the West Bank—before parliament goes into recess at the end of the month. They argued that the current moment offers a strategic opportunity due to strong U.S.-Israel ties and recent military gains.
Although Netanyahu’s office has not responded, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest allies, notably did not sign the petition. He has been in Washington since Monday holding talks focused on Gaza and Iran, signaling internal differences within the Israeli leadership.
The petition stated that the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack exposed the dangers of allowing Palestinian statehood alongside Israeli settlements. It called the two-state idea a threat to national security and claimed that annexation would prevent future attacks on Israel.
However, most of the international community views Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law. These settlements often divide Palestinian territories, making the dream of a connected and sovereign Palestinian state increasingly difficult to achieve.
Pro-settlement voices in Israel have become more vocal with Trump’s return to the White House. His previous administration supported Israel’s annexation efforts and recently suggested Palestinians should leave Gaza—a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from nations across the Middle East.