U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said it was Israel’s decision whether to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “As for the annexation of the West Bank, the Israelis will ultimately make those decisions. That’s an Israeli decision, and we will work closely with them to share with them our views of this in a private setting.” 

In response, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinians “will not stand handcuffed if Israel annexes of any part of our land.” In November, 14 members of the U.N. Security Council rebuked the Trump administration’s announcement that it no longer considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law.