Settler leaders and far-right government ministers renewed public pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex parts of the West Bank and not end the war in Gaza without the total military defeat of Hamas, in an attempt to counteract American pressure on both issues.

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” comments that were rejected by right-wing Israeli lawmakers.

And the Trump administration has drafted a 21-point plan, obtained by The Times of Israel, to end the war and free all the hostages, while encouraging Palestinians to remain in the Strip, removing Hamas from power, and creating a pathway toward a future Palestinian state.

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Wednesday he expected a breakthrough related to Gaza in the coming days. Witkoff noted that Trump had presented his ideas during a meeting with Arab and Islamic countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly earlier in the week.

But the plan’s creation of a potential pathway to a future Palestinian state could well be a red line for Netanyahu, who has long campaigned on having prevented a two-state solution. The premier

© The Times of Israel