Trump: ‘I am against annexation; we have enough to think about now’

President Donald Trump declines to comment on vote by Israeli security cabinet deepening Israeli control over Judea and Samaria but emphasizes he opposes annexation.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he does not support Israel taking steps to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, reiterating his opposition to any such moves.

On Tuesday, Trump spoke with Axios, which asked him to comment on the decision by the Israeli security cabinet on Sunday to ease settlement construction in Judea and Samaria and to deepen Israeli control over the area in a move that Energy Minister Eli Cohen (Likud) boasted constituted “de facto sovereignty.”

The president declined to respond to the decision but emphasized he does not want Israel to annex Judea and Samaria.

“I am against annexation,” Trump said.

Without going into details regarding his opposition to Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, Trump said that the US and Israel are already preoccupied and “don’t need to be dealing” with status changes to Judea and Samaria as well.

“We have enough things to think about now. We don’t need to be dealing with the West Bank,” Trump continued.

The comments come a day before Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., where the two leaders are expected to focus on negotiations with Iran, the possibility of a new war with Tehran, and the future of the Gaza peace plan.

On Monday, a White House official told reporters that the administration has changed its position on Israel annexing Judea and Samaria since the president rejected any such move in September.

“President Trump has clearly stated that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank,” the official said.

“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.”