Rubio, In Jerusalem, Says US Backs Israel In Goal To Eradicate Hamas
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday backed Israel's new offensive on Gaza City and its goal of eradicating Hamas, casting doubt on whether diplomacy would work to...
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Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary of State Rubio at Judaism's holiest prayer site in Jerusalem on Sunday.
Jerusalem:
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed America's support for Israel's new Gaza City offensive and its objective to eliminate Hamas during his Monday visit, expressing skepticism about diplomatic solutions to the nearly two-year conflict.
During his Jerusalem visit, Rubio demonstrated complete alignment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite President Donald Trump recently criticizing Israel for conducting airstrikes against Hamas leaders in Qatar, a US ally.
"Gaza's people deserve a better future, but that future cannot begin until Hamas is eradicated," Rubio stated during a joint press conference with Netanyahu.
"You can rely on our steadfast support," he added.
Rubio expressed pessimism regarding Qatar-brokered ceasefire negotiations, contradicting Trump's recent prediction of the war ending within weeks.
He described Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza conflict, as "barbaric animals."
"While we desire a peaceful, diplomatic resolution and will continue pursuing that path, we must also acknowledge the possibility that such an outcome may not materialize," Rubio stated.
The State Department announced Rubio will travel to Doha on Tuesday to "reaffirm America's full support" for Qatar's sovereignty – language he noticeably omitted while with Netanyahu.
Trump told reporters in Washington that Netanyahu "won't be hitting in Qatar" again.
Qatar hosts the region's largest US air base and has actively cultivated relations with Trump, including presenting him with a luxury aircraft.
- 'Greatest friend' of Israel -
Israel has initiated a major military campaign to capture Gaza City, the territory's largest urban center, where the United Nations last month determined one million people faced famine – a finding Israel disputes.
Israeli strikes killed another 49 people Monday, many in Gaza City, according to the civil defence agency.
Media restrictions and access difficulties in Gaza prevent AFP from independently verifying details provided by the civil defence agency or Israeli military.
Netanyahu said Rubio's visit conveyed a "clear message" of US support for Israel, and called Trump "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had."
Rubio's visit precedes a UN summit led by France next week, where several US allies, frustrated by perceived Israeli obstinance, plan to recognize a Palestinian state.
Rubio dismissed statehood recognition, strongly opposed by Netanyahu's right-wing government, as "largely symbolic" and claimed it "emboldened" Hamas to take uncompromising positions.
"It's actually undermining the cause they believe they're advancing," Rubio said.
Netanyahu warned that Israel might take unspecified "unilateral steps" in response to Palestinian state recognition.
Far-right cabinet members have advocated West Bank annexation to prevent statehood, prompting protests from the United Arab Emirates, which established diplomatic relations with Israel five years ago Monday.
The October 7 attack resulted in 1,219 deaths, primarily civilians, according to AFP's compilation of official figures.
Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed more than 64,900 people, mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures the United Nations considers reliable.
Rubio held private meetings with families of hostages who have campaigned vigorously for their release.
Of 251 people abducted by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 the Israeli military believes are deceased.
- Controversial tunnel -
In a highly symbolic gesture, Rubio attended Monday's inauguration of a tunnel for religious tourists beneath the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan leading to holy sites.
Fakhri Abu Diab, 63, a Silwan community spokesperson, suggested Rubio should instead visit homes, including his own, demolished by Israel in what Palestinians describe as systematic erasure efforts.
"Instead of upholding international law, the United States aligns with extremists and the far right while ignoring our history," he stated.
Though closed to media, Rubio, a devout Catholic, wrote on X that the "Pilgrimage Road" represented the "enduring cultural and historical bond between the United States and Israel" and the "Judeo-Christian values that inspired America's founding fathers."
Rubio began his visit Sunday in Jerusalem's Old City by joining Netanyahu at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, declaring Jerusalem Israel's "eternal capital."
Until Trump's first term, US leaders typically avoided such explicit endorsements of Israeli sovereignty over contested Jerusalem, a city sacred to Muslims and Christians as well.