US Diplomat Marco Rubio Visits Israel After Controversial Qatar Strike

JERUSALEM, Sept 15 (VoM): Senior US diplomat Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday, reaffirming Washington’s support for its key ally despite tensions following Israel’s unprecedented strike in Qatar that killed Hamas leaders.

The visit comes just days after President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for authorizing the attack in Doha, a move that strained diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

Speaking before his departure, Rubio said Trump was “not happy” with the strike but stressed it would “not change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis.” He added, however, that Washington and Tel Aviv would need to discuss its implications for ongoing truce negotiations.

Netanyahu has defended the strike, calling the targeted killing of senior Hamas figures the “main obstacle” to ending the war. The operation coincided with Israel’s intensified push in Gaza City, where its forces have ordered evacuations and demolished high-rise buildings allegedly used by Hamas.

According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, 32 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Saturday alone, while the United Nations has warned of famine and worsening humanitarian conditions, estimating about one million people remain trapped in Gaza City and its outskirts.

International criticism of Israel continues to mount. On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to revive the two-state solution, with Britain, France, and Germany urging an immediate halt to Israel’s offensive. Several Western nations are preparing to formally recognize Palestinian statehood this month.

Despite global pressure, Israel maintains strong backing from the United States, its largest military supporter. A State Department spokesman said Rubio’s trip would demonstrate US opposition to “unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism,” while underlining Washington’s shared goals with Israel: preventing Hamas from ruling Gaza again and securing the release of hostages.

The conflict, now nearing its second year, began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people in Israel. Since then, Israel’s retaliatory campaign has claimed more than 64,800 lives in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry that the UN regards as credible.

Rubio is scheduled to meet Netanyahu and visit Jerusalem’s Western Wall during his trip.

@Voice of Malaysia news