US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, with the aftermath of Israel's strike in Qatar last week expected to be high on the agenda. The strike, which targeted senior Hamas leaders on US ally's territory, drew international outrage and was criticized by President Donald Trump.
Rubio earlier told reporters: Obviously we're not happy about it. The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next.
The meeting comes as Arab leaders hold a summit in a show of support for Qatar, with its prime minister urging the international community to stop applying double standards and punish Israel.
The Gulf state hosts a major US airbase and has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza, mediating indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
During the meeting, Netanyahu affirmed the strength of US-Israel ties while addressing military plans concerning Gaza City, as well as ongoing settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank. Subsequent discussions are anticipated to be influenced by an upcoming UN General Assembly meeting, where several major allies, including the UK and France, plan to recognize the State of Palestine.
Rubio earlier told reporters: Obviously we're not happy about it. The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next.
The meeting comes as Arab leaders hold a summit in a show of support for Qatar, with its prime minister urging the international community to stop applying double standards and punish Israel.
The Gulf state hosts a major US airbase and has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza, mediating indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
During the meeting, Netanyahu affirmed the strength of US-Israel ties while addressing military plans concerning Gaza City, as well as ongoing settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank. Subsequent discussions are anticipated to be influenced by an upcoming UN General Assembly meeting, where several major allies, including the UK and France, plan to recognize the State of Palestine.
