Israel's Knesset voted 71-13 on a non-binding motion calling for the application of Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, referring to the area as Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley. The motion, supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, asserts that annexation would strengthen Israel's security and prevent challenges to the Jewish people's right to peace and security. While lacking direct legal implications, it signals a potential shift in future parliamentary debates. The motion was initially proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who resides in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank and holds a position overseeing its administration within the Ministry of Defence.

The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to approximately 3 million Palestinians and over 500,000 Israeli settlers. Annexation is strongly opposed by the Palestinian Authority, which considers the West Bank part of a future Palestinian state. Hussein al-Sheikh, deputy to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, denounced the motion as a violation of Palestinian rights and an obstacle to peace. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed this condemnation, highlighting the motion's incompatibility with international law and the ICJ's advisory opinion issued in July 2024. The ministry also emphasized that de facto annexation is already underway through ongoing settlement expansion and intensified attacks by Israeli forces and settlers.

Impact Statement: The symbolic annexation motion, while not legally binding, heightens tensions and further complicates the already fragile prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.