The United States has warned that a further escalation of violence in the West Bank could undermine the Gaza peace agreement during talks between U.S President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Axios reported on December 30 that Trump and his senior advisers urged Netanyahu to reconsider Israel’s West Bank policies, citing fears that rising tensions could derail implementation of the Gaza deal and complicate efforts to expand regional normalization under the Abraham Accords.
Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Trump acknowledged disagreements with Netanyahu over the West Bank but said the issue would be resolved.
“We have had a discussion, big discussion, for a long time on the West Bank. I wouldn’t say we agree on the West Bank 100%, but we will come to a conclusion on the West Bank,” Trump said.
“He will do the right thing. I know that. I know him very well. He will do the right thing.”
Trump Warns West Bank Escalation Could Jeopardize Gaza Agreement
US officials told Axios that Trump’s team pressed Netanyahu to avoid provocative steps and de-escalate the situation, raising concerns about settler violence, settlement expansion, and the financial stability of the Palestinian Authority.
The report said US officials view current Israeli policies as weakening the Palestinian Authority, entrenching settlement activity, and displacing Palestinian communities, contributing to a drift toward de facto annexation.
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Changing course in the West Bank, the sources said, was presented as critical to sustaining the Gaza agreement and broader diplomatic efforts.
On Gaza, Trump warned that there would be “hell to pay” if Hamas failed to disarm as required under the agreement, while saying he was not concerned about Israel’s actions regarding the deal’s second phase.
Axios reported that Netanyahu agreed to move toward the next phase of the Gaza deal and accepted Trump’s request to resume talks with Syria on a potential security arrangement.
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Israel Faces European Backlash Over New West Bank Settlements
Twelve European countries, along with Canada and Japan, condemned Israel’s recent approval of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
They warned that the move undermined channels for long-term peace and regional security.
In a joint statement on December 26, the countries said the decision violated international law. They warned that “unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of settlement policies in the West Bank, risk fueling further instability.”
“Such unilateral actions, as part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank, not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability,” read the statement.
The Israeli cabinet gave the green light to the legalization and establishment of the 19 settler outposts on December 11, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The authorization includes 19 outposts across the West Bank, including two that were evacuated during Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan.
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