British News Agency

Marco Rubio, speaking before traveling to Israel as part of U.S. efforts to support a fragile ceasefire agreement, said, “We cannot support this right now.”

Far-right politicians took a symbolic step by giving preliminary approval to a bill granting Israel authority to annex the West Bank, in an attempt to embarrass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinians claim that the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is part of the future independent state they aspire to establish.

Last year, the United Nations’ top court, the International Court of Justice, declared Israel’s occupation illegal.

Netanyahu previously supported the annexation of West Bank territories but refrained from action for fear of alienating Israel’s key ally, the United States, and Arab countries that normalized ties with Israel after decades of hostility.

Far-right nationalists in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition have repeatedly called for the full annexation of the West Bank, but the bill was introduced by lawmakers outside the government.

The bill passed by a vote of 25 to 24. It remains unclear whether it has majority support in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, and the prime minister could delay or block it.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the Knesset’s move, saying Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian lands.