Rubio Pledges ‘Unwavering Support’ for Israel, Calls for Hamas’s Elimination
Netanyahu welcomed Rubio’s visit as a “clear message” of US backing, praising President Donald Trump as “the greatest friend that Israel has ever had.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday vowed Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel in its war against Hamas, stressing that peace in Gaza cannot begin until the militant group is eradicated, according to AFP.
Standing alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Rubio said, “The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated. You can count on our unwavering support and commitment to see this come to fruition.”
Netanyahu welcomed Rubio’s visit as a “clear message” of US backing, praising President Donald Trump as “the greatest friend that Israel has ever had.”
At the joint news conference, Rubio also criticized efforts by Britain, France, and other US allies to recognize a Palestinian state, saying the moves emboldened Hamas.
“They’re largely symbolic… the only impact they actually have is it makes Hamas feel more emboldened. It’s actually served as an impediment to peace,” he said.
Rubio added that he would continue raising concerns directly with US allies, including during his upcoming visit to Britain with Trump.
The secretary of state had said he would discuss with Netanyahu Israel’s plans to seize Gaza City — the territory’s largest urban center — and proposals to annex parts of the West Bank to preclude a future Palestinian state, according to AFP.
He reiterated Trump’s desire for the Gaza conflict to be “finished with,” which would mean freeing hostages and ensuring Hamas is “no longer a threat.”
The talks were complicated last week after an Israeli strike in Qatar targeted Hamas leaders engaged in discussions on a new US ceasefire proposal, a move that reportedly caught the Trump administration off guard.
Netanyahu defended the operation, declaring, “We sent a message to terrorists: you can run, but you cannot hide. The raid didn’t fail. It had one central message.”
Rubio, while expressing support for Israel’s security measures, said Washington backed Qatar’s mediation role in Gaza.
“We’re going to continue to encourage Qatar to play a constructive role in that regard,” he noted.
Trump also underscored Qatar’s importance, calling it a “very great ally” and urging caution in regional military actions.
Rubio began his visit on Sunday with a symbolic stop at Jerusalem’s Western Wall alongside Netanyahu, declaring later that it reflected his conviction that the city is Israel’s “eternal capital.”
The Florida senator, a devout Catholic, is also scheduled to attend the inauguration of a controversial tunnel beneath the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan leading to holy sites, which he described as “one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.”
