Trump Warns Israel: Annexation Could Cost US Support… Again
Trump, according to DW, is signaling Israel 'could lose US support' if it annexes the West Bank. This isn't newfound hawkishness; he 'warned' Benyamin Netanyahu against it in 2020 too, only to greenlight controversial policies like moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, seeing continuous
settlement expansion facilitated by US aid — over $3.8 billion annually, every year, without condition , despite these 'warnings'. This 'could lose support' rhetoric is less a policy shift and more political theater crafted for a US election year. One might wonder why, after decades of escalating settlement activity and displacement, US support (financial, military, and diplomatic) remains
ironclad, regardless of which party's nominal 'warning' is issued. Perhaps the $11.8 million AIPAC spent in 2022 to influence US elections (OpenSecrets.org) has a more enduring impact than any presidential soundbite.