NextFin news, Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday for a two-day visit to demonstrate U.S. support for Israel ahead of a contentious United Nations debate on the establishment of a Palestinian state, the U.S. State Department announced on Friday.
During his visit, Rubio met with Israeli leaders to discuss Israel’s operational goals in Gaza and efforts to dissuade European countries from recognizing a Palestinian state unilaterally. The visit comes amid stalled negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release in the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict.
Rubio’s itinerary included a visit to the City of David archaeological site in East Jerusalem, a location of historical significance that Palestinians also claim as part of their future capital. The site is operated by Elad, an organization that supports Jewish settlement in predominantly Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.
East Jerusalem has been a focal point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions since Israel captured and annexed the area in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel regards the entire city as its undivided capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The U.S. administration under former President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, a move that was welcomed by Israel but condemned by Palestinians and much of the international community, which maintains that the city’s status should be resolved through negotiations.
Rubio’s visit also follows recent regional tensions after an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, which drew condemnation from several Arab nations including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The strike has complicated U.S. efforts to broker broader Middle East peace.
Prior to his trip, Rubio met with Qatar’s prime minister to discuss the fallout from the strike and reaffirm U.S. priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and Middle Eastern security. The State Department emphasized that Rubio’s visit would underscore America’s commitment to Israeli security and opposition to unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
Rubio’s visit to Israel on Sunday and Monday precedes the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, where member states are expected to debate the creation of a Palestinian state, a subject that remains deeply divisive internationally.
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