The Israeli government is actively debating whether to annex parts of Judea and Samaria in response to the expected recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western countries, according to Israeli, U.S., and European officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.

Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom are preparing to formally recognize Palestine during the UN General Assembly in late September, joining nearly 150 states that already do. Israel and the United States are working to deter such moves, with Washington announcing it will deny visas to senior Palestinian Authority officials seeking to attend the session in New York, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Behind the scenes, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar have conveyed to European counterparts that annexation is a possible retaliatory measure.