Secretary Rubio warns West Bank annexation endangers Trump's Gaza plan

23/10/2025 16:46

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the Israeli Knesset's move towards the annexation of the West Bank would threaten President Donald Trump's plan to end the conflict in Gaza, which has produced a shaky ceasefire so far.



"I mean, that's a vote in the – yeah, that's a vote in the Knesset, but obviously I think the president's made clear that's not something we'd be supportive of right now, and we think it's potentially threatening to the peace deal," Rubio told reporters late on Wednesday before leaving for Israel.



Rubio's visit to Israel, announced by the State Department on Wednesday, is the latest by a senior U.S. official seeking to keep alive a fragile truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.



U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel this week and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. He is due to meet Defense Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Thursday before departing.



The State Department said Rubio was visiting Israel to support the implementation of Trump's 20-point plan to end the Gaza war.