President Donald Trump’s new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, pledged the administration’s “steadfast support” for the State of Israel in a phone conversation on Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio spoke with Netanyahu “to underscore that maintaining the United States’ steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for President Trump.”
A readout of the conversation said Rubio congratulated Netanyahu on “Israel’s successes against Hamas and Hezbollah” and pledged to “work tirelessly to help free all remaining hostages held in Gaza.”
Three female hostages were freed this past weekend in exchange for the release of 90 Palestinian Authority terrorists from Israeli prisons. Nearly all were returned to their homes in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.
According to the readout, Rubio “also conveyed that he looks forward to addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace.”
Interestingly, there was no mention of the conversation nor any readout from Netanyahu’s office.
The Israeli prime minister is expected to visit the White House in the coming days.
Rubio also spoke on Tuesday with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) to discuss the relationship between the two countries.
According to a readout of that conversation, Rubio said he “looked forward to advancing shared interests in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and beyond,” while also stressing the threats posed by Iran and its proxies.
