By World Israel News Staff

The Trump administration remains firmly opposed to Israel applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, a White House official said on Monday after Israel moved to expand its authority in the area and ease bureaucratic red tape on settlement expansion.

A White House official who spoke with Reuters said that President Donald Trump does not support Israel applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, adding that the administration’s goal is stability in the region.

“President Trump has clearly stated that he does not support Israel annexing the West Bank,” the official said.

“A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.”

The comments come a day after Israel’s security cabinet voted to back major administrative changes in Judea and Samaria.

The decision lifts a ban on Israeli Jews purchasing private Arab-owned land in Judea and Samaria and provides for transparency in the land ownership registry.

Furthermore, it eases hurdles to settlement construction while also increasing Israeli oversight in Areas A and B of Judea and Samaria, which are under Palestinian Authority civil control.

The move has drawn international condemnation from Arab and Muslim states, along with European powers, including Britain.

The White House has not commented on the vote, which was promoted by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party).

While Trump initially appeared to signal at the beginning of his first term that he would support Israel annexing Judea and Samaria, in September he announced that he would not “allow” any change to the status of the area.