Trump on Israel: 'There's Been Enough. It's Time to Stop Now'

President Trump split with Israel Thursday, telling reporters from the Oval Office, "I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank." He went on to emphasize that "there's been enough. It's time to stop now." His comments surfaced as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the United Nations General Assembly Friday, following a week that saw new recognitions of Palestinian statehood by countries such as Britain, Canada, and France, the New York Times reports. The possibility of annexation of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory has drawn sharp criticism from the Arab world and comes amid pressure from Netanyahu's right-wing coalition partners, some of whom urge immediate action to claim the territory. Concern is rising that Netanyahu may move to annex all or part of the area in response to the increasing recognition of Palestinian statehood, the Wall Street Journal reports.

In a Tuesday meeting held in New York with leaders from Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, and Egypt, Trump reportedly reassured the group of his opposition to annexation, underscoring the sensitivities surrounding the fate of the West Bank—a region governed by the Palestinian Authority and home to roughly three million Palestinians and half a million Israelis in settlements deemed illegal by much of the international community. French President Emmanuel Macron also noted that both he and Trump agree that expanding Israeli settlements is counterproductive and has "nothing to do with Hamas." Also during the meeting, US envoy Steve Witkoff went over a US plan to end the war in Gaza, sources say. Netanyahu and Trump will meet at the White House Monday, Politico reports.