U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Friday, joined by Vice President JD Vance, just before Rubio's planned two-day visit to Israel starting Sunday. The discussions underscore the Trump administration's efforts to navigate relations with key Middle East allies following Israel's recent airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar's capital. No official U.S. readout was immediately available, but the Qatari embassy shared a photo of the trio, highlighting ongoing diplomatic engagement despite the incident that disrupted ceasefire talks in the nearly two-year Gaza conflict.
The strike on Tuesday targeted Hamas figures gathered in Doha to review a U.S.-proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal, rupturing mediation efforts led by Qatar. Leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar expressed unified outrage, complicating President Donald Trump's broader peace ambitions. Trump distanced himself from the action, calling it counterproductive to U.S. and Israeli goals, and assured Qatar it would not recur. The U.S. endorsed a UN Security Council statement condemning the strike without naming Israel, while Sheikh Mohammed affirmed Qatar's commitment to diplomacy at a Thursday UN meeting, accusing Israel of indifference to hostages.
In Israel, Rubio aims to reaffirm U.S. support amid Netanyahu's isolation ahead of a contentious UN debate on Palestinian statehood recognition, which Israel opposes. He will meet hostage families, emphasising their return as a priority, and discuss Israel's Gaza objectives, including plans to occupy Gaza City, with Israeli leaders. Rubio is also expected to visit the City of David archaeological site in East Jerusalem's Silwan neighbourhood, a contested area annexed by Israel after the 1967 war but claimed by Palestinians as their future capital. Critics view the site as advancing Israeli nationalist claims in Palestinian areas.
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The trip reflects a delicate U.S. balancing act, as noted by analyst Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official. "This is an emergency tour to show solidarity after the Doha strikes while navigating irritation without meaningful repercussions against Israel," Miller said. The visit occurs as ceasefire efforts stall and Europe weighs Palestinian recognition, rooted in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict exacerbated by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages, followed by Israel's offensive claiming over 64,000 Palestinian lives, per Gaza authorities.
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