Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

A Palestinian man looks at olive trees reportedly uprooted by Israeli soldiers using a bulldozer in the occupied West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah, on August 24, 2025. Zain Jaafar, AFP

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17611894666911756054139081AFP__20250824__72BH8AU__v4__MidRes__PalestinianIsraelConflictAgricultureLand.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A Palestinian man looks at olive trees reportedly uprooted by Israeli soldiers using a bulldozer in the occupied West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir, north of Ramallah, on August 24, 2025. Zain Jaafar, AFP</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>WASHINGTON, United States — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Israel against annexing the West Bank, saying steps taken by parliament and settler violence threatened a Gaza peace deal.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/3/palestinians-across-west-bank-protest-gaza-war-0149">Palestinians across West Bank protest Gaza war</a></div><p>Israeli lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance two bills on annexing the occupied West Bank, barely a week after President Donald Trump pushed through a deal aimed at ending a two-year Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that was retaliation for a Hamas attack.</p><p>&quot;I think the president&#x27;s made clear that&#x27;s not something we can be supportive of right now,&quot; Rubio said of annexation as he boarded his plane for a visit to Israel.</p><p>Annexation moves are &quot;threatening for the peace deal,&quot; he told reporters.</p><p>&quot;They&#x27;re a democracy, they&#x27;re going to have their votes, and people are going to take these positions,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/31/israel-announces-new-west-bank-settlements-despite-sanctions-threat-2042">Israel announces new West Bank settlements despite sanctions threat</a></div><p>&quot;But at this time, it&#x27;s something that we...think might be counterproductive,&quot; he said.</p><p>Asked about increased violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, Rubio said: &quot;We&#x27;re concerned about anything that threatens to destabilize what we&#x27;ve worked on.&quot;</p><p>But Rubio — the latest high-ranking US visitor to Israel following Vice President JD Vance — voiced optimism overall for preserving the peace deal.</p><p>&quot;Every day there&#x27;ll be threats to it, but I actually think we&#x27;re ahead of schedule in terms of bringing it together, and the fact that we made it through this weekend is a good sign,&quot; Rubio said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/24/israeli-bulldozers-uproot-hundreds-of-trees-in-west-bank-village-0153">Israeli bulldozers uproot hundreds of trees in West Bank village</a></div><p>The United States is the primary military and diplomatic supporter of Israel and Rubio until recently had steered clear of criticizing annexation moves championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#x27;s far-right allies.</p><p>But a number of Arab and Islamic states, which the United States is courting to provide troops and money for a stabilization force in Gaza, have warned that annexation of the West Bank, led by Hamas&#x27;s moderate rivals in the Palestinian Authority, was a red line.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ptuc-MGFg0o?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f-M69Yz0NjE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2vF1Sx5MMjc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Israel against annexing the West Bank, saying steps taken by parliament and settler violence threatened a Gaza peace deal.</p>

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Israel against annexing the West Bank, saying steps taken by parliament and settler violence threatened a Gaza peace deal.

US top diplomat says Israel annexation in West Bank 'threatening' peace deal

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US top diplomat says Israel annexation in West Bank 'threatening' peace deal

Agence France-Presse

Published October 23, 2025 11:20 AM PHT

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Agence France-Presse

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