VP Vance Slams Knesset Annexation Vote

Vice President JD Vance sharply rebuked a preliminary Knesset vote to apply Israeli law to the West Bank as a “very stupid political stunt,” saying he was offended and confused by the move. He said the bill won preliminary approval Wednesday — the first of four votes required to become law — and that it was pushed by opposition lawmakers rather than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, which did not back the measure and called it a provocation. Vance reiterated the Trump administration’s policy that the West Bank will not be annexed and noted Netanyahu had instructed ministers not to advance annexation proposals. Departing after a two-day trip, Vance said the Gaza ceasefire was largely holding and called for an international security force to disarm Hamas and for regional coordination to make the peace durable.