Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with the media before departing for Israel on Saturday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio headed to Israel on Saturday, amid tensions with fellow U.S. allies in the Middle East over Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Speaking to reporters before departure, Rubio reiterated that the U.S. and President Donald Trump were not happy about the strikes.
Rubio said the U.S. relationship with Israel would not be affected, but that he would discuss with the Israelis how the strike would affect Trump’s desire to secure the return of all the hostages held by Hamas, get rid of the militants and end the Gaza war.
“What’s happened, has happened,” he said. “We’re gonna meet with t