US President Donald Trump points a finger as he delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 31, 2025. Photo: Kent Nishimura via Reuters Connect

US President Donald Trump promised Arab leaders he would not let Israel annex the West Bank, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing six people familiar with the matter.

Two people described Trump as being firm on the topic during their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Politico reported.

Two others familiar with the matter, Politico reported, said the US team presented a white paper outlining the Trump administration’s plan to end the Gaza war, including the promise against West Bank annexation.

Tom Barrack speaks with members of the press at Trump Tower in New York City, US. January 10, 2017. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Keith.

i24 News – Syria and Israel are on the verge of signing a “de-escalation” agreement in which Israel will stop its targeted strikes against jihadists and military targets while Syria will agree to not move any machinery or heavy equipment near the Israeli border, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Tuesday.

The statement comes hours after an i24NEWS report that there is a “high likelihood” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Washington next week.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of U.N. General Assembly meetings in New York, Barrack said the agreement would serve as the first step towards the comprehensive security deal that the two countries have been negotiating. “I think everybody is approaching it in good faith,” the official added.

The agreement under discussion has not been formally detailed, but officials familiar with the talks told i24NEWS it includes border security arrangements, counterterrorism coordination, and mechanisms aimed at preventing escalation along the Golan Heights frontier. If signed, it would mark the first formal accord between Israel and Syria in decades.

For Netanyahu, the meeting would represent both a diplomatic gamble and an opportunity. The Israeli Prime Minister has long insisted that any engagement with Syria must address threats from Iranian proxies and ensure Israel’s security along its northern border.

Al-Sharaa, for his part, is seeking international legitimacy and economic relief for his war-battered country, making US sponsorship of the deal critical.

While optimism is rising, both Israeli and Syrian officials caution that sensitive details remain unresolved, and the volatile regional environment could derail the effort at the last minute. Still, the senior Israeli official stressed to i24NEWS that “the chances of the meeting happening are very high.”

A CCTV footage shows a fire that struck Alma, a vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), in the Tunisian waters off the coast of Tunisia, September 9, 2025, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video. Photo: GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA/Handout via REUTERS

i24 News – The United Nations has urged an “independent and impartial” investigation into alleged drone attacks on the Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza.

Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said a dozen explosions were reported near the vessels on Tuesday evening.

The UN stressed that those responsible for the “violations” must be identified and held accountable.

Flotilla organizers said their ships came under attack while off the coast of Greece, citing explosions, drones, and communications jamming. “Unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed, and explosions heard from several boats,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement. “We are witnessing these psychological operations firsthand, right now, but we will not be intimidated.”

German activist Yasemin Acar and French MEP Rima Hassan claimed in a video posted on Instagram that five ships had been attacked. In another video, Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila reported that four boats were “targeted by drones dropping devices” just before another explosion was heard in the background.

Italy also condemned the alleged assault. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced that an Italian navy vessel had been dispatched to the area to provide assistance if required. “Italy strongly condemns this attack on a humanitarian flotilla,” Crosetto said.

The flotilla, composed of international activists, has been attempting to deliver aid to Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. The source of the alleged drone attacks has not been confirmed.