Rubio ends up in Saudi Arabia for talks about Gaza and Ukraine

Foreign Minister Marco Rubio met in Saudi Arabia on Monday to find a tour of a whistle-stop-close east to discuss the future of Gaza and Ukraine.

It was expected that Mr. Rubio, who flew from Israel to Riyadh, was urging the Saudi leadership to suggest a vision for the post -war gaza. President Trump’s idea of ​​depopulating and occupying the territory has brought the widespread opposition in the Arab world, also in Saudi Arabia, the widespread opposition. This prompted Mr. Rubio and other US officials to encourage the Arab leaders to propose an alternative.

Mr. Rubio should also meet Russian officials in Riyadh to discuss the future of the Russia Ukraine War. It is expected that two other important US civil servants Mike Waltz, the national security consultant, and Steve Witkoff, Mr. Trump’s Middle East, who also works on questions of Ukraine Russia.

In addition to the annoyance of the Arab allies with his controversial proposal for Gaza, Mr. Trump frustrated the partners in Europe when he talks to President Vladimir V. Putin from Russia about the future of Ukraine last week. His government also said that European governments will not play a role in future discussions, although the conflict takes place within the European borders.

The movements have triggered concerns in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe, where the leaders fear that the futures of their countries from discussions that the countries will determine. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, confirmed in an interview that was broadcast on Sunday that his country “never” would accept a peace agreement hit by the United States and Russia if Ukraine was not involved in the talks.

Mr. Rubios’ visit takes place in the middle of the swirling uncertainty about the future of the ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas in Gaza and the long -term government of the territory.

It was expected that Israeli civil servants will meet in Cairo on Monday to send disagreements to the sending of humanitarian aid, including temporary accommodation. But the Israeli government still has to decide whether negotiations to extend the ceasefire should be promoted, which no longer falls at the beginning of March, unless the Hamas and Israel restart. The Israeli cabinet minister should gather on Monday evening to discuss the problem, but it was not certain whether they would vote on it.

The Israeli leadership wants to avoid extending the ceasefire if Hamas can survive the war as a military force. Although Hamas, although it indicates the willingness to share administrative control over the territory, are not willing to disarm its military wing.

Mr. Trump has proposed to end the dead end by passing the Gaza and sending its inhabitants to Egypt and Jordan – a step that is strongly rejected by these countries and Saudi Arabia. The forced expulsion of the Palestinians would be ethnic cleansing and a war crime, say experts in international law.

The Trump government’s proposal has created another obstacle to Israel’s long, pleasing goal of normalizing diplomatic relationships with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi leadership said that it will not recognize Israel when Palestinians from Gaza are sold or when Israel refuses to make a way to Palestinian sovereignty.

After Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, the discussion was even more burdened that Saudi -Arabian hosts creating Palestinian refugees and a Palestinian state on Saudi soil.

Saudi-Arabia’s Foreign Ministry rejected Mr. Netanyahu’s statements as that of “extremist, occupied attitude”, which cannot understand the historical and cultural importance of the Palestinian country.

Gabby Sobelman Contribution to reporting from Rehovot, Israel.