Israel has reportedly stepped back from potential plans to formally annex portions of the West Bank following a sharp warning from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key signatory to the 2020 Abraham Accords.
According to a report published by The Washington Post, Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh publicly cautioned Israel in an interview on Wednesday, stating that annexation would constitute a “red line” for Abu Dhabi. “For every Arab capital you talk to, the idea of regional integration is still a possibility, but annexation to satisfy some of the radical extremist elements in Israel is going to take that off the table,” Nusseibeh said.
The remarks reportedly surprised Israeli officials, with the issue of annexation being quietly removed from the agenda of a ministerial meeting the following day. The development comes amid heightened regional tensions and growing concerns that Israeli moves to assert sovereignty over parts of the West Bank could derail broader normalization efforts with Arab states.
Over recent weeks, speculation had intensified regarding whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government might advance annexation measures, especially after reports suggested the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump would support such steps. In early July, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated, “Our position regarding Israel, the choices it makes, is that we stand with Israel and its decisions and how it views its own internal security.”
The current debate echoes the situation in 2020, when Netanyahu considered annexation before ultimately choosing to pursue normalization with the UAE and Bahrain under the Abraham Accords. At that time, Emirati officials made clear that normalization would not proceed if annexation went ahead.
In late August, Israeli media reported that the country’s Security Cabinet met on August 31 to discuss applying sovereignty over parts of the West Bank. The discussion was reportedly prompted by France and other nations considering the recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September. However, Netanyahu had not yet made a final decision before the UAE issued its public warning.
For now, the pause in annexation plans highlights the influence that Gulf partners can exert over Israeli policy, particularly as Israel seeks to preserve its fragile normalization agreements while balancing domestic political pressures.