New York, September 24 — U.S. President Donald Trump promised leaders from eight Arab and Muslim-majority countries during a UN meeting on Tuesday that he would not permit Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, according to six sources familiar with the discussions, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
The assurance came amid talks on ending Israel’s nearly two-year war in Gaza, where Trump presented a white paper outlining postwar governance and security plans, as reported by Politico. Two sources described Trump as “firm” on preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from absorbing the West Bank, governed by the Palestinian Authority. Another source noted a ceasefire remains distant, despite the pledge.
The meeting, hailed by Trump as his “most important” of the day, included leaders from Türkiye, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Trump told reporters, “I think we can work something out on Gaza. It was a very good meeting with very great leaders.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called it “very productive and positive,” expressing satisfaction.
The leaders warned that West Bank annexation could collapse the Abraham Accords, Trump’s signature foreign policy achievement. This follows recent recognitions of Palestinian statehood by allies like the UK, France and others, prompting Israeli calls for sovereignty over the territory. Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have pushed for annexation in response.
The International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation illegal in July, ordering settlement evacuations. Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 1,042 Palestinians and injured over 7,000 in the West Bank, per the Palestinian Health Ministry. Gaza has seen over 65,000 Palestinian deaths in the offensive following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
The White House did not comment on the report. No response from the Israeli government was available at the time of reporting.
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