US pressures Israel on West Bank, Rubio voices confidence in Gaza truce

JERUSALEM — U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Israel over annexing the West Bank in an interview published Thursday, as visiting Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced confidence that a U.S.-backed ceasefire in Gaza would hold. Trump's remarks were made to Time magazine by telephone on Oct. 15 — just days after the Gaza truce plan he spearheaded took effect — but were only published on Thursday. "It won't happen," Trump said when asked about calls in Israel to annex the Palestinian West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. "It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries." He added: "Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened." Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday advanced two bills paving the way for West Bank annexation, leading to condemnation Thursday from US Vice President JD Vance, who was in Israel at the time and who echoed Trump's comments. When asked on Thursday if he was concerned by the votes, Trump told reporters at the White House: "Don't worry about the West Bank. Israel's not going to do anythWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times