Rubio warns: The Knesset's approval of the annexation of the West Bank "threatens" the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

More than 40 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate recently urged President Trump to strengthen his opposition to annexation plans, according to Axios.

Trump pledged not to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the West Bank, according to Politico.

In a provocative move that could undermine fragile diplomatic efforts in the region, the Knesset approved on Wednesday, in a preliminary reading, a bill aimed at annexing large parts of the occupied West Bank.

This controversial step comes in direct defiance of the U.S. position, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned, ahead of his anticipated visit to the region, that proceeding with annexation plans could "threaten" the existing ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

This troubling development comes at a very sensitive time, coinciding with the intensive efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to solidify the recently reached ceasefire agreement between the occupation and Hamas, which ended a devastating two-year war.

The United States considers that its comprehensive peace plan, which forms the basis of the agreement, includes an implicit commitment not to take any unilateral steps, such as annexing the West Bank, that could undermine the chances of reaching a lasting settlement.

President Trump had personally assured Arab leaders during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last month that he would not allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the West Bank, according to Politico.

More than 40 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate recently urged President Trump to strengthen his opposition to annexation plans, according to Axios.

Despite clear U.S. warnings, the Knesset moved forward with discussions on the proposed annexation law, which was presented by members of the far-right in the governing coalition.

According to Channel 12, the law was approved in a preliminary reading by a very slim majority, with 25 members voting in favor and 24 opposing it, and the vote of the former chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Yuli Edelstein, was the decisive one that tipped the balance in favor of passing the law.

Immediately after the law was provisionally approved, far-right ministers in Netanyahu's government rushed to celebrate the step and called for moving forward with the annexation process.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed Netanyahu, saying: "Mr. Prime Minister, the Knesset has spoken, the people have spoken, it is time to impose full sovereignty over all the lands of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)."

For his part, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said: "The time for sovereignty is now."

In Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's response was swift and firm.

He told reporters before heading to the region on an official visit starting Thursday: "I believe President Donald Trump has made it clear that this is not something we can support at this time."

Rubio clearly warned that the approval of any of the texts presented before the Knesset related to annexation "would threaten" the ceasefire in Gaza and "would have counterproductive results" on ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Rubio is scheduled to visit the occupation from October 22 to 25, with the aim of "supporting the successful implementation of President Trump's comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza," according to a statement from the U.S. State Department.

This preliminary vote in the Knesset places Netanyahu's government in direct confrontation with the U.S. administration and threatens to undermine the fragile understandings recently reached.

The overall trajectory of events now hinges on what will result from Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit and his ability to persuade the occupation government to backtrack on these unilateral steps that could plunge the entire region back into a cycle of violence.