US’ Rubio discusses Gaza, Syria with Israeli counterpart

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Wednesday to discuss President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza and regional issues, the State Department said.

The two discussed Syria and Lebanon and reaffirmed their commitment to “close collaboration” to advance peace and stability in the Middle East, the statement added.

Sa’ar said on the US social media company X’s platform that the meeting covered shared “opportunities and challenges” spanning the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and beyond. He told Rubio that Israel’s renewed ties with Bolivia were part of a broader effort to strengthen relations across Latin America.

The talks came as Trump prepared to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Dec. 29 to discuss the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting comes amid growing concerns over Israel’s repeated violations of a fragile ceasefire with the Palestinian group Hamas that took effect in October as well as its attacks in Syria.

The talks will also follow Trump’s call earlier this month for Israel to maintain “strong and true” dialogue with Syria after Israel’s latest incursion and airstrikes near Damascus killed 13 people — an attack that Syria denounced as a “war crime.”

“It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous State,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.