Israel is walking back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that he has been discussing with the Trump administration "for some time now" annexing Jewish settlements in the West Bank, Axios contributor Barak Ravid reports.

• Why it matters for the U.S.: Israeli and U.S. officials told Ravid that Trump administration officials fear the claim could derail Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's Middle East trip, and gave Netanyahu and his advisers a clear demand to backtrack.
• Why it matters for Israel: This was the first time Netanyahu has commented on annexation in his tenure, reports Ravid. Netanyahu is under pressure from his fellow coalition members to start annexing parts of the West Bank, and he's awaiting the results of a police investigation into him for corruption.
• Go deeper: Ravid takes readers behind the scenes.

P.S. ... Vladimir Putin tried to use his meeting at the Kremlin today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to play peacemaker between the Palestinians and the Trump administration. Dive in.

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