U.S. President Donald Trump's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, is set to travel to Israel this weekend amid rising tensions with U.S. allies in the Middle East over Israel's airstrike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed on Friday that Rubio will depart on Saturday for Israel before joining Trump's planned visit to Britain next week.
While in Israel, Rubio will highlight the shared objectives of the U.S. and Israel, particularly the goal of preventing Hamas from ever ruling Gaza again and securing the return of hostages taken during the 7 October, 2023, attacks, which killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Israel's nearly two-year-long military campaign in Gaza has led to over 64,000 deaths in the Palestinian enclave, according to local authorities. The campaign has also drawn accusations of genocide, including from the world’s largest group of genocide scholars this month.
On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike on Hamas's political leaders in Doha, a move that U.S. officials described as a unilateral escalation that did not serve either American or Israeli interests. The attack on the territory of a close U.S. ally sparked widespread condemnation from other Arab nations and derailed ceasefire and hostage negotiations mediated by Qatar.
Rubio's visit comes ahead of high-level meetings at the United Nations in New York later this month, where countries like France and Britain are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood. Washington argues that such recognition would strengthen Hamas, and Rubio has warned that it could pave the way for the annexation of the West Bank, a goal pursued by hardline members of the Israeli government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to advance a settlement expansion plan that would cut across West Bank land Palestinians view as crucial for a future state. The United Arab Emirates cautioned last week that such actions would cross a red line and jeopardise the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalised UAE-Israel relations in 2020.
Rubio and Israeli leaders are expected to discuss "our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism, and legal actions at the ICC and ICJ," Pigott stated. He was referring to the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, and the International Court of Justice, which has called on Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide.
"The Secretary will also meet with the families of hostages and reiterate that the return of their loved ones remains a top priority," Pigott added.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed and three others injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's...
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they l...
The United States has announced an additional $38 million to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as hea...
Armenians will vote on Sunday in a parliamentary election that will determine whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secures a new mandate to pursue ...
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after bal...
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed and three others injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Armenians will vote on Sunday in a parliamentary election that will determine whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secures a new mandate to pursue peace with Azerbaijan or cedes ground to pro-Russian rivals.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Five Azerbaijani crew members were killed and three others injured after two cargo vessels were hit in a drone attack in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, as Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
The United States has announced an additional $38 million to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as health officials warn that the virus could spread further without stronger action.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
The next time a goal goes in during a Champions League final, fans around the world could watch it from every angle at once — frozen, rotated and replayed in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
An ageing, poorly insured shadow armada now accounts for around one-sixth of the world's tanker fleet. Hidden by design and fraught with risk, it operates beyond conventional oversight. A maritime law expert explains how it works, who profits, and why much of the world looks the other way.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment