Pakistan, July 3 -- Fifteen Israeli cabinet ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party have signed a petition urging immediate annexation of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The push comes ahead of Netanyahu's upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, where they are expected to discuss a 60-day Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The ministers, joined by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, demanded that Israeli sovereignty be applied over Judea and Samaria-the biblical terms for the West Bank-before parliament goes into recess at the end of the month. They argued that the current moment offers a strategic opportunity due to strong U.S.-Israel ties and recent military gains.

Although Netanyahu's office has not re...