US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he does not support the annexation of the occupied West Bank by Israel.
Earlier, a White House source told Axios that the president has opposed, and continues to oppose, such steps by Israel.
In an interview with Axios, Trump responded to a question about Israel’s recent steps in the occupied West Bank by saying: “I am against annexation.”
“The measures approved by the Israeli Security Cabinet on Sunday significantly expand Israeli control over the West Bank, including in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority,” the American news website reported.
READ: Israel cancels Jordanian law banning sale of West Bank land to Jews in new decisions
Previously, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey condemned Israeli actions in the West Bank, saying they undermine ongoing efforts to achieve peace in the region. They said the measures accelerate what they described as illegal annexation and the displacement of Palestinians.
The ministers warned that continued Israeli expansion policies and what they called unlawful actions in the occupied West Bank would fuel further violence and conflict.
They also expressed their rejection of these measures, describing them as a clear violation of international law that weakens the two-state solution and infringes on the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state.
READ: A silent annexation swallows the West Bank while attention turns to Iran, why?