‘Israel is tiny’ – Trump’s response to Israel annexation plans

Trump says ‘no guarantee’ Gaza ceasefire will hold, responds to questions regarding Israel’s possible annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria by emphasizing the country’s ‘small size.’

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump cast doubt on the future of the hostage deal between Israel and the Hamas terror organization, while fueling speculation he may be prepared to back shelved Israeli plans to extend sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria.

On Monday, Trump addressed reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, discussing, among other things, the new tariffs considered for Mexico and Canada.

The president also discussed developments in the Middle East, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to the White House, slated for Tuesday.

Trump praised his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, for his work in securing the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, while expressing uncertainty regarding the second phase of the three-phase agreement.

“I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold,” Trump said.

Witkoff, Trump continued, “does great work,” but added that the Gaza ceasefire is “complicated.”

Witkoff took a more optimistic tone, saying the administration remains “hopeful.”

“It’s holding so far, so we’re certainly hopeful,” he said.

When asked whether he would support Israel returning to its Judea and Samaria sovereignty plan, Trump refused to comment directly but instead emphasized Israel’s small geographic dimensions.

“I’m not going to talk about that. It certainly is a small country…in terms of land,” Trump mused, pulling out a pen from the Oval Office desk to illustrate Israel’s size in comparison to the Middle East as a whole.

“See this pen…my desk is the Middle East, this pen, the top of the pen, this is Israel,” Trump continued. “That’s not good, you know. It is a pretty big difference.”

“I use that as an analogy. It is pretty accurate, actually. It is a pretty small piece of land. And it is amazing that they have been able to do what they have been able to do when you think about it. A lot of good, smart brain-power. But it is a very small piece of land, no question about it,” he said.

Trump’s comments have fueled speculation that he may be preparing to back a resumption of Israel’s annexation plan, first raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the 2019 Knesset elections but shelved in 2020 ahead of the signing of the Abraham Accords.

Recently, the president has also proposed the mass migration of Gazans out of the Gaza Strip, hinting that the relocation could be a longterm move.