JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said the visit of top US diplomat Marco Rubio underscored the enduring strength of Israel’s alliance with Washington, even as an unprecedented Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha drew international criticism.
US President Donald Trump last week rebuked Israel over the attack in Qatar, calling it “reckless”. However, Rubio insisted before departing Washington that while Trump was “not happy” about the strike, it was “not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis”.
In Jerusalem, Rubio prayed at the Western Wall with Netanyahu and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, wearing a kippa in a show of solidarity. Netanyahu praised Rubio as an “extraordinary friend” and said their visit symbolised ties “as durable as the stones of the Western Wall”.
The Doha attack, which targeted Hamas leaders discussing a US-backed ceasefire plan, has complicated truce efforts in Gaza. Netanyahu defended the operation, saying eliminating Hamas leadership would remove “the main obstacle” to peace.
Meanwhile, Gaza City continues to face heavy bombardment. The UN estimates nearly one million people remain trapped in the besieged urban centre, with famine conditions deepening due to Israeli aid restrictions. Gaza’s civil defence said 38 people were killed Sunday alone, though AFP could not independently verify the toll.
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At the UN, momentum is growing for Palestinian statehood. Britain, France and several Western states signalled plans to recognise Palestine, while Washington has vowed to block any move it views as “rewarding terrorism”.
Domestically, Netanyahu faces pressure from hostage families demanding a ceasefire deal. Critics accuse him of sabotaging negotiations, leaving 47 of 251 hostages taken in October 2023 still unaccounted for.
Despite global rebuke and rising casualties, analysts say Washington remains unlikely to press Israel toward a truce, highlighting what one expert called an “alarming passivity” in US diplomacy.
