U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Israel on Sunday morning amid questions about coordination between Washington and Jerusalem following Israel’s unsuccessful strike in Qatar, and amid moves at the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state. It is his second visit to Israel since becoming secretary of state.
On the eve of the trip, Rubio said Saturday that the dispute between Israel and the United States over the Doha strike on senior Hamas figures will not change U.S. support for Israel.
“This is not going to change the character of the relationship with Israel, but we are going to talk about it and the impact it will have,” Rubio said as President Donald Trump expressed displeasure with the strike.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is making his second visit to Israel since taking office
(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool/AP)
Before departing, Rubio posted on X that he was “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.”
The official, stated purpose of Rubio’s visit is to attend a ceremony at the City of David archaeological park in Jerusalem. Rubio accepted an invitation from the site’s directors to attend the inauguration of the “Pilgrims’ Road,” which links the Pool of Siloam and the City of David to Jerusalem as it stood in the Second Temple period. At 2 p.m. he is scheduled to arrive at the Western Wall with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been critical of PA President Mahmoud Abbas
(Photos: Umit Bektas/Reuters, Sputnik/Alexey Maishev/Pool via Reuters)
Rubio is regarded as a close friend of Israel within the Trump administration. He has taken a hard line against the International Criminal Court in The Hague and has pushed for steep sanctions against its judges after arrest warrants were issued for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. He has also been sharply critical of the Palestinian Authority and its leader Mahmoud Abbas, and urged that Abbas be barred from addressing the U.N. General Assembly — a step even Israel did not request of the United States.
Rubio also has opposed moves by French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to recognize a Palestinian state.
In addition to meeting Netanyahu, Rubio is expected to meet with President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and with families of hostages. After his stop in Israel, Rubio will travel to London to join Trump’s on his overseas trip. The State Department said Rubio will “convey America’s priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and broader issues concerning Middle Eastern security, reaffirming U.S. commitment to Israeli security. He will also emphasize our shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules over Gaza again and bringing all the hostages home.”
The State Department added that the secretary and Israeli leaders will discuss operational goals and objectives related to Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, and the U.S. commitment to counter anti-Israel measures, "including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism, and lawfare at the ICC and ICJ. The Secretary will also meet with the families of hostages and underscore that their relatives’ return remains a top priority."