Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear Friday that Israel annexing the West Bank would “threaten” peace in the Gaza Strip — after ruling out the US working with the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency to rebuild the shattered coastal enclave.
Rubio, 54, spoke out one day after right-wingers in the Israeli Knesset symbolically voted to give preliminary approval to a bill imposing the Jewish state’s law in the Palestinian Authority-run territory.
“From what it was explained to me, it was elements that tried to use it to embarrass [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu while the Vice President [JD Vance] was here,” Rubio told reporters while touring a civil-military coordination center in southern Israel monitoring the cease-fire.
“Suffice it to say, we don’t think it’s going to happen, and more importantly it’s not from a legislative standpoint structured in a way that could happen. But it would also threaten this whole process.”
“Everyone has to understand if something like that were to happen – right now, if that were to happen, a lot of the countries that are involved in working on this probably aren’t going to want to be involved in this anymore,” the secretary went on. “It’s a threat to the peace process and everybody knows it. But I’m not getting into the middle of Israeli politics. We’re focused on peace and security.”
Vance had described the Knesset vote Thursday as “a very stupid political stunt.”
“The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel,” the veep added. “That will continue to be our policy. If people want to take symbolic votes, they can do that. But we certainly weren’t happy about it.”
The center Rubio toured Friday employs a mix of civilians and military forces, including 200 US troops, plotting out the stabilization and revival of Gaza.
“The United Nations is here, they’re on the ground, we’re willing to work with them if they can make it work,” Rubio said. “But not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has faced numerous allegations that it is controlled by Hamas and employs members of the terror group.
Still, the International Court of Justice said earlier this week Israel must allow UNRWA to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza.
While the Jewish state has prohibited the organization from bringing in supplies since March, the agency still runs health centers and provides other services.
“The outcome needs to be a Gaza where people have jobs and a life and a better future and people aren’t thinking about, ‘How do I kill Israelis? How do I attack Israel?’” Rubio said.
“Because if we can’t reach that point, then there’s not going to be a peace. There’s not going to be an enduring peace. You can’t be at peace with elements that want to destroy you and kill you and carry out another October 7. Everyone recognizes that.”
