(The Hill) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio was greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, shortly after he arrived in Israel to discuss diplomacy in the region and the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu touted the enduring alliance between their two countries, even as Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar this past week prompted concern among some in the Trump administration.
“I think his visit here is a testament to the durability, the strength of the Israeli-American alliance. It’s as strong and as durable as the stones of the Western Wall that we just touched,” Netanyahu told reporters Sunday.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio and their entire team, this alliance has never been stronger, and we deeply appreciate it, not only on behalf of the people of Israel who live today, but generations of Jews who preceded us, and hope that we build our state anew with friends like you. Thank you, Marco,” the Israeli leader continued.
Rubio did not take questions from reporters. Before departing for Israel on Saturday, he told reporters he intends to stress Trump’s desire for the war in Gaza to end and express Trump’s concern that the Israeli strike in Doha could make hostage negotiations more challenging. Qatar has served as a mediator in ceasefire talks.
“The U.S.-Israeli relationship is very strong. It continues to be strong. The president wants this conflict to end. He wants all the hostages out, all 48 of them, living and deceased,” Rubio told reporters, when asked what his message for Netanyahu will be on this trip.
“Obviously, we’re concerned that events last week, he didn’t like the way it went down. He’s expressed that publicly,” Rubio continued Saturday, referring to Trump.
“There’s concern that perhaps that could — we’ll talk about what impact it’s going to have on efforts to get all the hostages back, get rid of Hamas, end this war,” he said. “That’s the president’s priority.”
