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President Donald Trump assured Muslim leaders during a private meeting Tuesday that he would prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from annexing the West Bank, according to what six people familiar with the discussions at United Nations headquarters told POLITICO.
The president was described as firm in his commitment during the session with representatives from eight muslim countries, with sources saying Trump explicitly promised that Israel would not be permitted to absorb the Palestinian Authority-controlled territory.
The assurance came as Muslim leaders expressed deep concerns that any Israeli move into the West Bank could trigger the collapse of the Abraham Accords, the signature diplomatic achievement of Trump's first presidential term that normalized relations between Israel and several Muslim nations.
Despite Trump's pledge on annexation, participants noted that a ceasefire to end Israel's nearly two-year conflict with Hamas remains elusive. Trump and his administration presented a white paper during the meeting that outlined their plan to end the war, including the annexation commitment alongside details on governance and postwar security arrangements.
The meeting, which Trump characterized to reporters beforehand as his "most important" of the day, concluded without the president addressing the media. No official readout has been released by any participants.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the session, described the talks as "fruitful" during a Tuesday evening Fox News interview but provided no specifics. Erdogan is scheduled for another meeting with Trump at the White House on Thursday.
Muslim leaders have grown increasingly frustrated with Trump's continued opposition to Palestinian statehood recognition and his support for Netanyahu's military campaign against Hamas. That frustration intensified earlier this month when Israel expanded operations beyond Gaza in an attempt to target Hamas officials during peace negotiations in Qatar.
The West Bank, home to approximately 3 million Palestinians, has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the territory under agreements stemming from the 1990s Oslo Accords, while Israel maintains overall security control and has established numerous settlements throughout the region.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the meeting's details.
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