Netanyahu Praises Trump’s Gaza Plan in Talks with Rubio

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Sunday, February 16th, 2025

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Jerusalem, February 16 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s close cooperation with the United States on Gaza’s future during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump’s “bold vision” for Gaza and emphasized efforts to turn the plan into reality. The proposed strategy, which suggests US involvement in Gaza’s administration and resettlement, has faced rejection from Palestinians and Arab nations.

Rubio, on his first Middle East visit as America’s top diplomat, defended Trump’s initiative, calling it a courageous approach to breaking away from past failed policies.

During their joint press briefing, Netanyahu and Rubio outlined shared priorities, including:

Eliminating Hamas’s control in Gaza
Preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons
Monitoring developments in post-war Syria
Netanyahu also strongly criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC), which had issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza. He thanked the US for imposing sanctions on the ICC, calling it an important step in countering “lawfare” against Israel.

As part of strengthening defense ties, a shipment of American-made MK-84 bombs arrived in Israel on Saturday night. The 2,000-pound bombs were approved for delivery after Trump lifted restrictions imposed by former US President Joe Biden.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the shipment a “major asset” for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a testament to US-Israel strategic relations.

The situation in Gaza remains fragile, with fears that the ongoing ceasefire agreement could break down. A hostage release planned for the weekend was nearly canceled but proceeded as scheduled, providing some hope for de-escalation.

Rubio will continue his diplomatic engagements, including talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.