U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Israel on Sunday morning amid heightened tensions following Israel’s strike on Doha last week.
He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem later in the day.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Israel
(Video: Ziv Sokolov)
The main official reason for Rubio’s visit is to attend a ceremony at the City of David archaeological site in Jerusalem. Rubio has a particular fondness for the City of David and accepted an invitation from site officials to participate in the inauguration of the “Pilgrims’ Path,” an ancient route that once connected the Pool of Siloam and the City of David to Jerusalem during the Second Temple period, when the city was built around the Temple Mount.
Rubio shared a photo on his X account showing himself being greeted by the press ahead of his departure to Jerusalem. "On my way to Jerusalem. My focus will be on securing the return of hostages, finding ways to make sure humanitarian aid reaches civilians, and addressing the threat posed by Hamas."
"Hamas cannot continue to exist if peace in the region is the goal," he added.
In addition to meeting with Netanyahu, Rubio is also expected to meet with President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and the families of hostages. From Israel, he will travel to London to join President Donald Trump on his visit.