Oct. 23 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem on Thursday to address issues regarding the fragile Gaza cease-fire agreement and the West Bank.
Netanyahu afterward told media that Israel and the United States seek to “advance peace” but must address challenges that might undermine their respective efforts.
“Now we face days of destiny,” Netanyahu said. “We still have security challenges, but I think that we can work together” to address them.
Rubio and several others have visited Israel over the past week, which the prime minister called a “circle of trust and partnership” between the United States and Israel.
Rubio joined Netanyahu while the pair briefly addressed media after their meeting and offered a hopeful outlook for peace between Israel and Gaza and the greater Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, affirmed Israel and the United States want to advance peace in the Middle East after the pair met in Jerusalem on Thursday. Pool Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI
“We have more work ahead, but we feel very positive about it,” he said of the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. “We’re making good progress.”
Rubio said there are no “illusions” regarding the scope of the challenges to the recently signed Gaza peace agreement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, said the Trump administration wants to build on the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel to ensure a permanent peace after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday. Pool Photo by Ronen Zvulun/UPI
“We’ve already done the impossible once, and we intend to keep doing that,” Rubio told reporters.
He said President Donald Trump wants to build upon the cease-fire agreement and recently sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Vice President JD Vance to support the fragile cease-fire that has seen occasional outbursts of deadly violence.
Neither Netanyahu nor Rubio mentioned specific challenges to an eventual permanent peace, but Rubio on Wednesday cited a potential Israeli annexation of the West Bank as potentially damaging.
He said the United States does not support such an effort, which has gained significant support within Israel’s Knesset.
Vance more firmly said the proposed annexation of the West Bank will not happen.
