Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarked on a diplomatic visit to the Middle East, engaging with key regional leaders amid escalating tensions.
In Doha, Mr. Rubio met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, which serves as a crucial intermediary in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. During this period, the Qatari emir publicly accused Israel of “sabotaging” cease-fire and hostage-release negotiations following an Israeli airstrike that reportedly targeted Hamas officials. Hamas stated its leaders survived the strike, while Israel continued to assess the outcome. The U.S. State Department’s official readout of Rubio’s meeting in Qatar made no mention of this specific strike or ongoing military operations in Gaza.
Subsequently, Mr. Rubio traveled to Jerusalem, where he held discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During this meeting, Secretary Rubio reiterated America’s “unwavering support” for Israel’s campaign against Hamas. Notably, his public statements did not echo President Trump’s earlier criticisms concerning the Doha strike.
Following his engagements in the region, Secretary Rubio proceeded to Britain for a meeting with President Trump during the latter’s state visit.
Source: www.nytimes.com