Location at an overview: Tensions in Middle East: US Secretary of State Rubio visits Israel

In view of the trouble among US allies in the Middle East because of Israel’s air raid in Qatar and Israel’s massive settlement expansion in West Bank, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now expected in Jerusalem. US President Donald Trump is “not happy” about Israel’s air raid in Qatar on Tuesday, Rubio said before his departure to the ally. The relationships between the United States to Israel would not be affected. However, he would talk to the Israelis about how the attack on the efforts to end the Gaza war will have an end to.

Trump wanted the Islamist Hamas to be defeated, Rubio said to report before his departure. “He wants the war to end, he wants all 48 hostages to come home, including those who died, and he wants to do it all at once,” Rubio continued. “And we have to discuss how the events of the past week have had a long time to achieve this in a short time.” What happened. Now you have to think about how to proceed. “Hamas cannot continue if peace in the region is the goal,” wrote Rubio on X.

The Israeli Air Force had tried on Tuesday to attack Hamas’ leadership in Katar’s capital Doha. According to Hamas, however, the attack failed that no member of the Hamas negotiating delegation was killed. But six people were killed.

The Golfemirate Qatar is an important ally of the United States. Both countries act with Egypt as an intermediary in the Gaza War between Israel and Hamas. The United States is also the most important ally of Israel. In addition to Qatar, other US partners in the Middle East, such as the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, had sharply condemned the Israeli air raid in Doha.

With a special summit planned by Qatar with almost 60 Arab and Islamic states, the search for a common attitude towards Israel is likely today and Monday. Before the meeting of the monarchs, heads of state and government, there should first be a preparatory summit in Doha at the level of Foreign Minister.

Netanyahu: Hamas leader main obstacle for Gaza deal

Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Saturday that the air raid in Qatar failed. “The Hamas terrorist guides living in Qatar do not take care of the people in Gaza,” Netanyahu wrote to get rid of it, would remove the main obstacle to the release of all of our hostages and the end of the war, “added the head of government. The forum of the hostage families, on the other hand, accused Netanyahu in response to it that it was the one who prevented a deal.

The air raid in Qatar proves that “there is a single obstacle to the return of the 48 hostages and the end of the war: Prime Minister Netanyahu,” said a declaration by the forum. “Netanyahu sabotages it every time an agreement is within reach.” According to the US State Department, Rubio will also meet families of the hostages recorded in Gaza when he visited Israel. According to his office, Netanyahu wants to visit the wailing wall in Jerusalem at 2 p.m. local time (1 p.m. German time).

Rubio: Have warned of Palestine’s recognition

According to a report on the US news page “Axios”, another topic at Rubios Talks in Israel should be the possibility of an Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank as a response to the recognition of a state of Palestine by western countries such as France, Belgium and Canada at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to advance the development of a strategically important area in the West Bank. He said there would be no Palestinian state. Rubio said before his departure to Israel that he had warned many countries worldwide that this could happen if they continue to recognize a state of Palestine. He was certain that the topic will be discussed at his meeting with the ally.

Israel’s government is driving ahead with settlement expansion

The Israeli government rejects a two -state solution on the grounds that it endangers the existence of Israel. From the perspective of Israel, the recognition of a state of Palestine would also be a “reward for Hamas” after the massacre of October 7, 2023 in Israel. The terrorist organization has committed itself to the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state in the entire area of ​​historic Palestine.

Netanyahu’s right-back government is steadily driving the settlement expansion in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. The areas in which more than 700,000 settlers live alongside around three million Palestinians were conquered by Israel in the 1967 six days of 1967. The Palestinians claim them as well as the Gaza Strip for their own state. Due to the progressive settlement, however, only one “patchwork” would remain.

Right -wing extremist ministers in Netanyahu’s government massively urge an annexation of the West Bank, which they consider as part of the biblical Israel. Finance Minister Bezhalel Smotrich threatened that Israel would incorporate the area to be incorporated if a Palestinian state is recognized.

Emirates warn of consequences for Abraham agreements

The United Arab Emirates (VAE) recently urged Israel against a possible annexation of large parts of the West Bank. Such steps would destroy the chances of peace in the region and the spirit of the Abraham Agreement concluded with Israel, it said. The Emirates were the first golf state in 2020 to record diplomatic relationships with Israel. The basis for this was the so-called Abraham Agreement conveyed by the USA, which also signed Bahrain.

“Axios” reported that Israel’s head of government Netanyahu has not yet made a decision as to whether he was striving for annexation. At the meeting with Rubio, he wanted to find out whether US President Trump would support such a step, the news page quoted an Israeli civil servant.