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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel this weekend as Washington navigates escalating tensions with key Middle East allies following Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and plans for further West Bank settlement expansion.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed Rubio departs Saturday, ahead of joining President Donald Trump’s visit to Britain next week. In Israel, Rubio is expected to highlight U.S.-Israel cooperation, focusing on preventing Hamas from regaining control of Gaza and securing the release of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages captured, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s nearly two-year military campaign has left more than 64,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza authorities, sparking a hunger crisis and accusations of genocide. This week, the world’s largest association of genocide scholars labeled Israel’s actions as potential genocide.
Rubio met Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the White House Friday, just days after Israel’s attempted strike on Hamas leaders in Doha. The attack, condemned across the Arab world, disrupted Qatar-mediated ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
The senator’s trip also precedes United Nations meetings where countries like France and Britain are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move Washington opposes. Rubio has warned such recognition could fuel Hamas and accelerate Israeli annexation efforts.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advanced a controversial settlement plan cutting through Palestinian-claimed West Bank land. The UAE cautioned such actions would threaten the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020.
Rubio will meet Israeli leaders to reaffirm U.S. opposition to unilateral Palestinian recognition, defend Israel against international legal actions at the ICC and ICJ, and express solidarity with families of hostages still held by Hamas.
