Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio stood together this afternoon at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yerushalayim, issuing a joint statement after their high-level discussions. Their talks focused on the ongoing war in Gaza, the fate of the hostages, and the continued confrontation with Iran.
Netanyahu began by welcoming Rubio, saying: “Your visit to the eternal capital is a strong demonstration of the strength of the bond between our countries. Iran continues to shout ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel,’ but these threats are neutralized thanks to our joint determination and Trump’s decision to strike its nuclear facilities. It was a message to the entire world that America acts to protect its interests and those of its allies.” He further declared, “Israel has no better ally than America.”
The prime minister went on: “President Trump told me: ‘Remember October 7th,’ and we remember. We remember the hostages, are committed to bringing them all back, and appreciate your help. We remember Hamas and know we must defeat them. They don’t belong there. Your visit is a message that the U.S. stands with Israel, against medieval lies, the rise of antisemitism in the world, and weak governments that increase pressure on us because they crumble under pressure themselves.”
Addressing reports about Israel’s recent actions in Doha, Netanyahu stressed that the move was entirely Israeli-led. “The decision to strike the terrorist leadership there was completely independent. It was made by us, managed by us, and we take full responsibility—because terrorists cannot have safe haven. We did it ourselves. We sent a message to the terrorists: you can flee, but you cannot hide. The strike did not fail; the message was clear: we stripped them of immunity. I do not accept the claim that the operation failed.”
Speaking about the current battles in Gaza, Netanyahu explained: “We do not demolish buildings to frighten people; these are Hamas strongholds. We tell civilians to evacuate, but Hamas shoots them in the legs to keep them there as human shields. The world condemns Israel incorrectly, but we will continue to do everything possible to remove civilians from danger zones, free all the hostages, and ensure Hamas is destroyed.”
Rubio also addressed the Gaza crisis and Qatar’s involvement: “We are focused on the role Qatar can play now to help release the hostages and create a better future for the residents of Gaza, as long as Hamas and the hostages remain there. At the end of the day, Hamas exists, there are 48 hostages, and we remain focused on what can be done next. We have good relations with our partners in the Gulf, and we are talking to them.”
The senator was clear about the hostage issue: “Every hostage needs to be home immediately,” he said, insisting that “Hamas cannot threaten the security of Israel or the world.”
When it came to Iran, Rubio laid out the dangers: “We discussed Iran and its desire to acquire nuclear weapons and missiles, which pose a threat to Israel, the United States, the Gulf states, and Europe. A nuclear Iran with missiles is an unacceptable risk to the entire world. We encourage the snap-back process initiated by the Europeans and urge them to continue; that is what is needed.”
Netanyahu also paused to honor Charlie Kirk, the American activist who was murdered: “Kirk was an extraordinary friend of Israel. He saw our struggle as a partner and believed in freedoms and shared values. There were assassination attempts against Trump, attempts against me—this is a shared problem for America and Israel, challenged by extreme violence.”
Concluding the press event, Netanyahu was asked how Israel would respond if the United Nations were to push forward unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. His answer was straightforward: “If unilateral steps are taken, we will respond with unilateral steps of our own.”
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Matzav.com}
