Knesset Passes West Bank Annexation Bill in Preliminary Vote

Published 4 hours ago

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Above: Israeli soldiers take position near the Palestinian village of Turmos Ayya near Ramallah, West Bank on Oct. 19, 2025. Image copyright: Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Israel's occupation of the West Bank is increasingly getting out of hand, and moves to annex the territory only create instability. Though it may seem that it has never been as difficult to make peace, moderates must rise above the populist extremism of Hamas and the Israeli political right so the land can be shared. Both Israeli and Palestinian national aspirations are valid projects that deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The two-state solution may not be the most equitable or desirable for either side, but it's the most achievable outcome.

Vox

Narrative B

The vote in the Knesset was unnecessary and will only damage the relationship between the United States and Israel, which is vital to Israel's strategic interests. Israel strengthens its settlements in Judea and Samaria every day with actions, not words. Sovereignty will be achieved by working on the ground and creating the conditions appropriate for annexation, as was done in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

The Times of Israel

Narrative C

The time for annexation is now. Judea and Samaria are historic parts of Israel, and Hamas' Oct. 7 attack was the final nail in the coffin for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Indeed, a violent, terrorist-run Palestinian state would be an existential threat to Israel's security, and Israeli sovereignty must be exercised in territories that are a natural part of the Jewish homeland.

The Jerusalem Post The Jerusalem Post

Pro-Palestine narrative

Though the Israeli and Western media try to portray the settler movement as a fringe element of Israeli society, the state was founded on the basis of ethnic cleansing and land theft. Israeli leaders on the left and right have continued to approve settlement expansion, and Palestinian land has continued to recede since 1948. Indeed, Israel annexed the West Bank in all but name a long time ago, and Israeli politicians are increasingly open about Israel's intentions — the incremental destruction of Palestine.

Middle East Eye Al Jazeera

Amnesty International on X