UK, US oppose Israeli annexation of occupied West Bank amid growing backlash

Britain and the United States on Tuesday opposed Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, joining the European Union, the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye in criticising newly announced measures paving the way for expanded settlements and land seizure.

On Sunday, the Israeli government approved sweeping changes that expand Israel's civil control in areas where all major Palestinian cities and towns are located. Analysts say the Israeli changes to end the Oslo Accords, which officially put these areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) jurisdiction since 1993.

The policy also make it easier for Jewish Israelis to privately own land in the West Bank, potentially accelerating settlement expansion. 

In reaction to the measures, a White House official reiterated US president Donald Trump's "clear" opposition to the Israeli annexation of the West Bank. 

"A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region," the official said.

The statement followed the UK government's call on Israel on Monday to reverse its decision "immediately" in a statement on Monday.

“The UK strongly condemns the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision yesterday to expand Israeli control over the West Bank,” the government said in a statement.

“Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic makeup of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law,” it added.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned of consequences of the Israel's move to annex

"The Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the reported decision of the Israeli security cabinet to authorise a series of administrative and enforcement measures in Areas A and B of the occupied West Bank," said Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"He warns that the current trajectory on the ground, including this decision, is eroding the prospect for the two-State solution."

Increasing settler violence

The announcement comes as the settler violence in the occupied West Bank reaches peak level since Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza began.

Israeli settler violence and harassment in the occupied region displaced nearly 700 Palestinians in January, the highest monthly figure since October 2023, according to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) last week.

At least 694 Palestinians were forcibly displaced during the month, according to a statement.

The report said in January, the entire herding community, including 130 families in the Jordan Valley, Ras Ein al-Auja left after months of settler harassment.