Israel’s Parliament Approves Controversial West Bank Annexation Bill, Drawing Global Condemnation

Israel’s parliament has narrowly passed a bill in its first reading aimed at annexing the occupied West Bank, sparking widespread international criticism and concern. The legislation, which passed by a single vote, was approved despite opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party. The preliminary vote in the 120-member Knesset ended with a narrow margin of 25-24, moving the bill to the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee for further review.

The proposed bill seeks to “apply Israeli sovereignty” over the Palestinian territories, referred to in the legislation as “Judea and Samaria,” a term that reflects Israel’s historical and religious claims to the land. This move has been denounced as a violation of international law and a major setback for the prospects of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The bill’s passage comes at a time when U.S. Vice President JD Vance is visiting Israel and Washington is working to maintain a ceasefire in Gaza. The U.S. government, along with many global leaders, has expressed firm opposition to the annexation. U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he would not support Israel’s annexation of the West Bank, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that such a move could “threaten peace efforts” and undermine ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

Despite Netanyahu’s objections, members of his coalition government, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism faction, backed the bill. Smotrich called the move a “historic step” towards asserting full Israeli sovereignty over the territory. Notably, Likud lawmaker Yuli Edelstein cast the decisive vote in favor of the bill, saying, “Israeli sovereignty throughout our homeland is the order of the day.”

The proposed annexation has triggered strong reactions from both regional and international leaders. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the vote as “a blatant violation of international law,” reaffirming that Israel has no legal claim over the occupied Palestinian territories. Hamas called the move evidence of Israel’s “colonial ambitions,” while countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan expressed their opposition. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s actions as “settlement and expansionist violations,” and Jordan warned that the annexation undermines the two-state solution and Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

The United Nations has also weighed in, with its top court ruling in 2024 that Israel’s occupation and settlement activities in the Palestinian territories are illegal and must cease immediately. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers currently reside in illegal settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, making the prospect of a two-state solution increasingly unfeasible.

Israeli analysts suggest the bill is more about political symbolism than a concrete policy shift. Ori Goldberg, a political analyst, described the annexation push as “a performative pushback” against Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaza ceasefire, reflecting deep divisions within the Knesset and frustration among right-wing factions regarding perceived U.S. interference in Israeli affairs.

This annexation bill, if passed in subsequent readings, would deal a significant blow to the two-state solution framework and could further escalate tensions in the region.