Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed Saturday for a visit to Israel in a show of support for the country ahead of an expected contentious U.N. meeting on the creation of a Palestinian state.
Watch Rubio’s remarks in the video player above.
Despite tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, notably over Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Rubio will arrive in Israel on Sunday for a two-day visit and is expected to travel to a controversial archaeological site in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim for the capital of an eventual state.
The State Department said Friday that Rubio would “convey America’s priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and broader issues concerning Middle Eastern security, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Israeli security” with an emphasis on the Trump administration’s commitment “to fight anti-Israel actions including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.”
His trip comes as efforts to broker a hostage release and ceasefire deal to end the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza have stalled and Israel has moved ahead with plans to occupy Gaza City.
