U.S. Backs Israel as Likud Ministers Call for West Bank Annexation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States has reiterated its support for Israel and its security decisions. This backing comes amid growing pressure from several Israeli ministers for the government to immediately annex the occupied West Bank.

The statement regarding the U.S. position was conveyed by U.S. Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce while responding to questions from Anadolu on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

"Our position regarding Israel, the choices it makes, is that we stand with Israel and its decisions and how it views its own internal security," she stated. 

When pressed on whether the U.S. continues to uphold a two-state solution, Bruce responded by stating that President Donald Trump is approaching the current situation with realism.

 "Clearly, Gaza is an uninhabitable place. It needs to be rebuilt with the help of Arab partners," she remarked, further indicating that a ceasefire has yet to be achieved and remains far from the current dynamics, making it a top focus for Trump.

Pressure from Likud Party Ministers

The demand for Israel to promptly annex the West Bank was voiced by 15 ministers from the Likud Party and Parliament Chairman Amir Ohana. In an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they requested the implementation of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, which they refer to as Judea and Samaria, before the summer Knesset session concludes on July 27.

The letter was posted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on the X platform. According to the Times of Israel, the signatories stated, "After the State of Israel’s historic achievements in the face of Iran’s axis of evil and its sympathizers, the task must be completed and the existential threat from within must be eliminated, to prevent another massacre in the heart of the country."

Ahead of the Netanyahu-Trump Meeting

This petition was released ahead of Netanyahu's scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House next week. As reported by TRT Global, the meeting is set to discuss a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and the possibility of a hostage release agreement with Hamas.

Meanwhile, there has been no official response from Netanyahu's office regarding the content of the petition. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close advisor to Netanyahu, did not sign the letter. He is currently in Washington discussing issues related to Iran and Gaza.

Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan in 1967 during the Six-Day War but has never formally annexed it. In 2020, this effort was briefly on the agenda as part of Trump's peace plan but was later suspended in favor of normalization of relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Currently, there are approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and over 200,000 in East Jerusalem. Israel has constructed more than 100 settlements in the area, which the majority of the international community considers illegal and contrary to international law.

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