JD Vance Slams Israeli Legislature for ‘Very Stupid Political Stunt’ on His Way Out of the Country

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday criticized the Israeli Knesset for a vote in support of annexing the West Bank.

The West Bank territory on the western bank of the Jordan River was taken from Jordan by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel administers it as an occupied territory that houses a number of Israeli settlements, although it is central to Palestinian demands to be part of a future Palestinian state.

“When I asked about it, somebody told me it was a political stunt, that it had no practical significance. It was symbolic,” Vance, who was visiting Israel when the legislative vote was taken, said in a video posted to X.

“I mean, look, if it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt I personally take some insult to it,” he said.

.@VP on the Knesset vote on West Bank annexation: “If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult… The policy of the Trump Admin is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy.” pic.twitter.com/rt0bHA0bqk

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 23, 2025

“The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump Administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy. And if people want to take symbolic votes, they can do that, but we certainly weren’t happy about it.”

The vote to annex the West Bank rode the support of far-right lawmakers to pass despite the opposition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, according to the Times of Israel.

Despite passage, three further votes are needed to make annexation more than an expressions of intent.

Legislator Avi Maoz backed the bill, calling for Israel to “apply its laws and sovereignty to the areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria to establish the status of these areas as an inseparable part of the sovereign State of Israel.”

“The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the people of Israel the Land of Israel. Settlement in the Land of Israel is the redemption and national revival, settlement is what makes the Land of Israel flourish after two thousand years of exile,” Maoz said.

“In applying sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, we are making a correction that is long overdue. Since the government has been procrastinating, our job as members of Knesset is to do this,” he continued.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that he was “proud” that his Otzma Yehudit party backed annexation, noting “that there is pressure on you, international pressure. But the right-wing government is doing what is right for the residents of the State of Israel. And what is right for the residents of the State of Israel is sovereignty now.”

But American officials were clear they do not support the step.

“They passed a vote in the Knesset, but the president has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters before taking off for Israel, according to the Times of Israel. “We think there’s potential for [it to be] threatening to the peace deal.”

In an interview with Time before the Knesset action, President Donald Trump said annexation will never take place.

“It won’t happen. It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened,” he said.

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