From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Ben Gvir on Trump’s opposition to West Bank annexation: ‘Israel is a sovereign and independent state’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, in a social media post directed at US President Donald Trump, writes that “Israel is a sovereign and independent state” and that “members of the Knesset vote according to their own discretion.”
He writes the post on X following yesterday’s preliminary Knesset votes on two bills that would annex parts of the West Bank. Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party voted in favor.
Trump has said he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. US Vice President JD Vance, who was visiting Israel during the vote, called it “very stupid.”
Ben Gvir emphasizes that he has “great respect” for Trump, whom he calls “the best American president toward Israel.”
He also appears to address Trump’s comments to Time magazine, published today, that the president may pressure Israel to free prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, a convicted terrorist who is imprisoned in Israel.
Ben Gvir calls Barghouti “a vile Nazi murderer responsible for the blood of many civilians, women, and children” who “will not be released and will not lead Gaza.”
Hamas negotiators recently unsuccessfully pushed to secure Barghouti’s release in the US-brokered hostage-prisoner exchange deal.
The Times of Israel Community.