‘Days of Destiny’: In Israel, Rubio Expresses Optimism Around Gaza Deal as U.S. Warns Against West Bank Annexation

Latest Developments

Visit From Rubio: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on October 23 for a three-day trip “to support the successful implementation of President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza,” according to the State Department. Rubio announced that he was in Israel to “build on the momentum towards durable peace and integration in the Middle East,” following visits earlier in the week by Vice President J.D. Vance, Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump administration adviser Jared Kushner. “We have more work ahead of us, but we feel very positive about it,” Rubio said after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He called the truce “a very important achievement” but stressed, “there’s more work to be done and bigger achievements that lie ahead.”
U.S. Officials Criticize Knesset Reading on Annexation: During his stay,Vance labeled a preliminary Knesset vote on a bill regarding West Bank annexation an “insult,” stating that if the move was a “political stunt, then it is a very stupid political stunt.” Rubio offered more measured criticism, saying, “obviously I think the president’s made clear that’s [annexation] not something we’d be supportive of right now.” Meanwhile, Trump said in an interview with Time Magazine that he had given his “word to the Arab countries” that Israel would not move forward with annexation, warning that “Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”
Netanyahu Says Opposition Sponsored Bills: Following the U.S. officials’ comments condemning the bill, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement claiming that “the Knesset vote on annexation was a deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel.” Netanyahu stressed that his Likud party and other members of his coalition “did not vote for these bills,” adding that “without Likud support, these bills are unlikely to go anywhere.”

FDD Expert Response

“Israeli politics is in full swing with an election looming around the corner. Israel has a multiparty system, which means lots of pre-election shenanigans to come. All of this adds stress to an already fragile Gaza process. The Trump team is aware of this and will attempt to coordinate moves and countermeasures as closely as possible with Prime Minister Netanyahu to avoid these pitfalls. Today’s statements by Vance and Netanyahu’s immediate response look like a case in point.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“Rubio’s visit comes at a pivotal moment for the future of the Gaza ceasefire. The Trump administration — along with Arab and Islamic backers of the deal — will be eager to enter negotiations to consolidate the truce. Visits by U.S. officials throughout the week present an opportunity to coordinate joint pressure upon Hamas to fulfill its obligations under the agreement. But discussions should also address contingency plans in the case that the terrorist organization refuses to disarm, as stipulated by further phases of the plan.” — Aaron Goren, Research Analyst and Editor