U.S. Secretary of State Visits Israel Amid Regional Tensions

SadaNews - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Israel on Saturday amid the prevailing tensions in the region following Israel's airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Deputy Spokesman for the U.S. State Department Tommy Pigott stated in a press release on Friday that Rubio will depart on Saturday for Israel before joining President Donald Trump on his scheduled visit to Britain next week, according to Reuters.

Pigott also added that Rubio will emphasize in Israel the shared objectives between the U.S. and Israel, which include ensuring that Hamas never returns to power in Gaza and securing the release of hostages.

Furthermore, Rubio and Israeli leaders will discuss "hostile actions against Israel, as well as unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, which constitutes a reward for Hamas and judicial warfare in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice."

Trump's Meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister

This comes as Trump is expected to meet on Friday evening in New York with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the ramifications of the Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, according to two informed sources.

This meeting is another way for Trump to signal his support for Doha and his opposition to the Israeli strike, according to Axios.

On the Qatari side, the meeting with Trump is seen as part of a Qatari diplomatic campaign to increase international pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.

The Qatari Prime Minister is due to arrive in Washington, D.C. on Friday and will meet with the U.S. Secretary of State at the White House, according to the U.S. State Department.

Moreover, two informed sources reported that Al Thani also intends to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.

These sources added that the Qatari Prime Minister is expected to travel to New York on Friday evening to meet with Trump and White House envoy Steve Vitekoff.

U.S.-Qatar Security Agreement

Among the issues that Al Thani will discuss during his talks in Washington is a U.S.-Qatar security agreement, according to informed sources.

This information came after Qatar confirmed on Thursday that claims about reassessing its security partnership with the United States are "completely false." It emphasized that its security and defense relations with Washington are "stronger than ever and continue to grow," according to a statement from the Qatari International Media Office. The allegation cited by Axios earlier was deemed a "desperate attempt" to harm Qatar's relationship with the U.S.

The Qatari Prime Minister also accused Israel of neglecting hostages in Gaza when it attacked Hamas leaders in Doha, while vowing not to abandon efforts to end the ongoing war in Gaza, which has persisted for nearly two years.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday evening that Israel has crossed "all boundaries and limitations" by conducting an airstrike on the Qatari capital this week, thereby violating the sovereignty of his country and threatening regional peace.

Additionally, he considered that "Israel is attempting to forcibly rearrange the region."

It is noteworthy that the surprise airstrike carried out by Israel on a complex in Doha on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least six people while Hamas leaders were meeting to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli strike threatened to derail negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, increasing Israel's global isolation, including condemnation of the attack by the United Nations Security Council.