Reports have emerged suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is preparing to formally annex the West Bank in the coming weeks. This revelation, made by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, has sparked significant international discussion about the implications for the region and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to Hersh, Israeli leadership, buoyed by military support and financial backing from the United States, appears set on consolidating control over the West Bank. The move would represent a significant escalation in its strategy toward occupied Palestinian territories. In an article published on his Substack platform, Hersh detailed:
“I was told this week by a well-informed Washington official that the Israeli leadership will formally annex the West Bank in the very near future – perhaps in two weeks – in the hope that the decisive step will end, once and for all, any talk of a two-state solution and will convince some in the skeptical Arab world to reconsider financing the planned reconstruction of Gaza.”
Should this occur, it would mark a turning point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, further entrenching the dynamics of occupation and resistance in the region.
The potential annexation appears strategically timed. Hersh suggests it may align with the final weeks of U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration. This timing could create what Hersh described as a “new reality on the ground” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Notably, during his previous tenure, Trump recognized Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights and controversially moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, signaling strong support for Israeli territorial claims.
The decision also comes against the backdrop of increasing influence from religious factions in Netanyahu’s government. These groups have been pressing for greater control over both Gaza and the West Bank. As Hersh noted, these parties “dominate” the Israeli cabinet and advocate policies that prioritize territorial consolidation over dialogue or compromise.
