Trump vows not to let Israel annex West Bank

US President Donald Trump said on Sept 25 he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over the area and snuff out hopes for a viable Palestinian state.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced some pressure from allies to annex the West Bank, prompting alarm among Arab leaders, some of whom met on Sept 23 with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It is not going to happen," Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "There has been enough. It is time to stop now," he said.

France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal are among the countries that have recognised a Palestinian state in the past few days, in part to help keep a possibility of a two-state solution alive. Israel has condemned the moves.

Mr Trump made the comments as Mr Netanyahu was arriving in New York to deliver an address to the UN on Sept 26.

Mr Netanyahu’s office said he would wait until he returns to Israel to address Mr Trump’s remark.

Israeli settlements have grown in size and number since Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war. They stretch deep into the territory with a system of roads and other infrastructure under Israeli control.