Rubio touches down in Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday for meetings in Jerusalem with top officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“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,” said Rubio ahead of his departure.

“Hamas cannot continue to exist if peace in the region is the goal,” he added.

Rubio on Sunday afternoon visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, accompanied by Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

The prime minister and the secretary of state offered a joint prayer for the hostages’ safety, as well as a special prayer in honor of U.S. President Donald Trump, “a true friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” according to Netanyahu’s office.

“I think [Rubio’s] visit here is a testament to the resilience and strength of the U.S.-Israel alliance, which is as enduring and strong as the stones of the Western Wall we just touched,” said the premier.

“Under President Trump, Secretary Rubio and all their team, this alliance has never been stronger, and we greatly appreciate it. Not only on behalf of the people of Israel today, but also on behalf of the generations of Jews who came before us, with the hope that we will rebuild our nation with friends like you,” Netanyahu added.

Afterward, the two placed notes between the stones of the Western Wall and toured the archaeological site in the Western Wall tunnels.

Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, stated on Friday that 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.”

Discussions will also center on “our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism, and lawfare.” The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and at the International Court of Justice, Israel is defending itself against charges of genocide lodged by South Africa.

This is Rubio’s second trip to Israel this year, following his visit in February as part of a multi-country tour of the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Rubio said Washington was not happy about Israeli strikes that targeted Hamas terrorists in Qatar but emphasized the attack would not alter the strategic alliance.

“Obviously, we’re concerned that events last week, [U.S. President Donald Trump] didn’t like the way it went down,” said Rubio, in reference to the assassination attempt in Doha.

“Sometimes things happen or come up in those relationships that perhaps we’re not 100 percent aligned with, or unhappy. But it’s not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis. But we are going to have to talk about it. Primarily, what impact does this have,” he added.

Despite the disagreement, Rubio stressed the importance of moving forward to figure out what comes next.

“At the end of the day, when all is said and done, there is still a group called Hamas, which is an evil group that still has weapons and is terrorizing; there are still 48 hostages that deserve to be released immediately, all at once; and there is still the hard work ahead of, once this ends, of rebuilding Gaza in a way that provides people a quality of life that they all want,” he said.

Rubio is expected to meet separately on Monday with Israeli President Issac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.