Secretary of State Marco Rubio. (X Screenshot)
‘All these countries claim to care about Palestinians, but none of them are willing to take any in. None have a history of doing anything for Gaza,’ Rubio said.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio invited Arab nations to propose a post-war plan for Gaza, especially if they are critical of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Gaza’s civilian population.
Arab nations have expressed disapproval of Trump’s plan, which calls for the U.S. to take control and rebuild Gaza, while relocating its civilian population to neighboring countries.
After meeting with President Trump, King Abdullah of Jordan agreed to take in 2,000 sick Gazan children, though he opposed relocating the broader Gaza population.
Rubio made these remarks before departing on a trip to the Middle East, where he is set to meet with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. He stated that the purpose of the trip was to explore potential solutions to the Gaza conflict and its aftermath.
Speaking on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton radio show, Rubio said, “Hopefully they’ll have a strong plan to present to the president,” referring to Arab nations.
“The only plan right now — which they don’t like — is the Trump plan. So, if they have a better plan, now is the time to present it.”
In response to Trump’s relocation proposal, Arab officials emphasized their solidarity with the Palestinian people. Rubio argued that if these nations truly care for Palestinians, they should offer a viable solution for post-war Gaza.
“All these countries claim to care about Palestinians, but none of them are willing to take any in. None have a history of doing anything for Gaza,” Rubio added.
Rubio also acknowledged that many Arab states are acting in good faith to find solutions, but he emphasized that the future of Gaza cannot include Hamas as a political or military power.
“If the countries in the region can’t address that issue, then Israel will have to step in, and we’ll end up back where we’ve been,” he said.
On Tuesday, Egyptian officials announced they were preparing a “comprehensive proposal” for Gaza that would not involve relocating its civilian population.
The UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords.
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