Vance blasts vote to annex West Bank

Vice President 'insulted' by hardline move

- BY KEITH FALKINER

JD VANCE has criticised a symbolic vote in Israel's parliament about annexing the West Bank, saying it amounts to an "insult" and goes against the Trump administration policies.

Hardliners in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, had narrowly passed a preliminary vote in support of annexing parts of the occupied West Bank - an apparent attempt to embarrass Benjamin Netanyahu while Vance was still in the country.

The Bill, which required only a simple majority of lawmakers present in the house on Wednesday, passed with a 25-24 vote.

But it was unlikely to pass multiple rounds of voting to become law or win a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu, who is opposed to it, also has tools to delay or defeat it.