Israel tightens West Bank control, challenging Trump’s stance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel has taken aggressive steps in recent days to tighten its control over the occupied West Bank, implementing unilateral policies that analysts describe as a major shift toward annexation.

The moves appear to contradict the stated position of President Donald Trump, who has voiced opposition to such annexation.

Despite the apparent policy conflict, Trump has not yet issued a public statement or taken action to oppose Israel’s specific measures.

Israel’s recent unilateral maneuvers have forced the Trump administration into a diplomatic corner, exposing a widening rift between the White House’s stated policy objectives and the ground-level reality. By proceeding without coordination, Jerusalem appears to be stress-testing the boundaries of Washington’s support, likely operating under the assumption that its status as a primary ally shields it from meaningful repercussions.

President Trump’s current silence—which contrasts sharply with his previous rhetoric against annexation—is widely viewed as a byproduct of domestic political calculus, particularly the need to maintain favor with a staunchly pro-Israel electoral base. The impasse raises fundamental questions regarding the true extent of U.S. leverage over its key Middle Eastern partners.

Absent a robust response, Washington risks signaling a tacit endorsement of the move. Such a perception would not only erode the United States' long-standing role as a regional mediator but could also effectively dismantle the two-state solution, the framework that has served as the cornerstone of U.S. Middle East policy for decades. For the international community, this policy dissonance serves as a stark indicator of the inherent unpredictability currently defining American foreign policy.