U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday condemned Israel’s parliamentary vote to annex the occupied West Bank, calling the move “an insult.”
Vance said the move went against the Trump administration's policies and efforts to ensure that the U.S.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas holds in Gaza.
The Israeli parliament Wednesday narrowly passed a symbolic preliminary vote in support of annexing the West Bank.
The bill was sponsored by parliamentary hard-liners, with only one member of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party joining them. With Netanyahu opposed, the bill appears unlikely to pass the multiple votes it requires to become law.
While much of Netanyahu's coalition, including members of his Likud Party, support annexation, they have backed off their calls since U.S. President Donald Trump said last month he opposes such a move.
