Trump opposes Israeli annexation of occupied West Bank: White House

DEVELOPING STORY, White House official says president sees stability in the Palestinian territory as in line with US ‘goal to achieve peace in the region’.Published On 9 Feb 2026United States President Donald Trump opposes Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank, a White House official has said.“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure, and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region,” the official said on Monday, according to the Reuters news agency.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Four Palestinians killed in Israeli air attack on Gaza residential buildinglist 2 of 4Jamal Elshayyal: inside the war for journalism’s futurelist 3 of 4United Nations presses for answers on US funding commitmentslist 4 of 4Landmark cases on social media’s impact on children begin this week in USend of listThe comment from the White House comes amid international outrage after Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, and defence minister, Israel-katz" class="entity-link entity-person" data-entity-id="4249" data-entity-type="person">Israel Katz, announced new measures on Sunday extending Israeli control over occupied Palestinian territory.The measures also make it easier for Israelis to acquire land for new settlements, which are illegal under international law.Eight Muslim-majority countries denounced Israel’s move in a statement on Monday, saying that the “illegal Israeli decisions and measures” are “aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty” over Palestinian territory.Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates said the measures were an attempt at “entrenching settlement activity, and enforcing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank, thereby accelerating attempts at its illegal annexation and the displacement of the Palestinian people”.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the United Kingdom and Spain also joined the rising chorus of condemnation, with the UN chief saying Israel’s actions were “destabilising” and corrosive to the prospects for a two-state solution, according to his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.