Overview

• Earlier this month, the Knesset passed a nonbinding resolution endorsing West Bank annexation, laying groundwork for a formal sovereignty bid
• Levin and Katz cited Trump-era preparatory work—including proposed resolutions, detailed maps, settlement-strengthening measures—as foundation for legal annexation
• Their stance reflects solidifying far-right cohesion within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, driven by a push to shift from de facto control to formal sovereignty
• Several Western governments have signaled plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September, warning that annexation could derail remaining two-state prospects
• More than 500,000 Israeli settlers reside in West Bank outposts deemed illegal under international law, with private security guarding unauthorized settlements, fueling frequent clashes with Palestinians