Israel has frozen the West Bank annexation bills that passed a preliminary vote in the Israeli Parliament, or Knesset. In a statement, Ofir Katz, Chairman of the government coalition, said that the bills for the full annexation of the West Bank and the annexation of the large-scale settlement of Maale Adumim near Jerusalem will not be advanced until further notice. Israel’s Parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of the two bills to apply Israeli law and administration to all settlements in Maale Adumim and the West Bank. The vote was carried out during US Vice-President J.D. Vance’s visit to the country. 

 

 

Speaking to reporters at Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv before his departure on Thursday, Vance said the vote was a political stunt that has no practical significance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the parliamentary vote on annexation was a deliberate political provocation by the Opposition to sow discord during US Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Israel.