Abdelrahman
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Jerusalem as political unrest spread throughout the Middle East, stemming from President Trump’s controversial proposals regarding the devastated Gaza Strip and the displacement of its Palestinian inhabitants.
This marks Mr. Rubio’s inaugural visit to the region in his role as Secretary of State and coincides with ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas aimed at establishing a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
However, President Trump’s ambitious plan to transform Gaza into an American-controlled “Riviera of the Middle East” has gained significant attention, overshadowing the critical negotiations. During his meetings in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Rubio is likely to face inquiries seeking clarification on this plan.
It remains uncertain if Mr. Rubio will have concrete details to share, not just due to the ambiguous and contentious nature of Trump’s proposal but also because it’s unclear whether he fully endorses the president’s vision.
Mr. Rubio, a former senator from Florida, approaches international relations with a more traditional perspective and has previously indicated that he believes Trump’s proposal may primarily serve as a strategy to encourage Arab leaders to take greater responsibility for the Palestinian issue.
The global community was caught off guard when President Trump unveiled his Gaza plan during a news conference on February 4 alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Netanyahu has described the approach as “revolutionary” and worthy of consideration, he has not explicitly supported the concept, which some Israeli officials regard as impractical.
