Marco Rubio urges Qatar to stay as mediator, reaffirms backing for Israel
Washington presses Doha to continue Gaza diplomacy as tensions rise after deadly airstrikes
DOHA, Qatar (MNTV) — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Qatar on Tuesday, urging the Gulf nation to maintain its role as mediator in Gaza peace talks, even as Israeli airstrikes last week targeted Hamas officials in Doha.
Rubio’s visit came directly after meetings in Israel, where he voiced strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new military offensive on Gaza City and its declared aim of dismantling Hamas.
He warned that Hamas had only “days, not months” to accept a ceasefire deal as Israeli forces intensified bombardments.
“We’re going to ask Qatar to continue to do what they’ve done, and we appreciate very much, and that is, play a constructive role in trying to bring this to an end,” Rubio told reporters while departing Tel Aviv. “If there’s any country in the world that could help end this through negotiation, it’s Qatar.”
Despite Israel’s strike on its soil, Rubio said Washington would soon finalize a new defense agreement with Doha, highlighting the strategic importance of the tiny but energy-rich state, home to the largest US air base in the Middle East and the forward headquarters of US Central Command.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio would “reaffirm America’s full support for Qatar’s security and sovereignty following Israel’s strike.”
Rubio was scheduled to meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani during his visit. Qatar has been central to diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire in the nearly two-year Gaza war, hosting Hamas’s political bureau since 2012 with US approval.
The country has also transferred millions of dollars to Gaza in coordination with Washington and Israel to maintain temporary stability.
In contrast, Netanyahu defended the airstrikes on Doha, comparing them to US counterterrorism actions after September 11, 2001. “We assume full responsibility because terrorists cannot be given immunity,” he said, stressing that Hamas leaders would not find safe haven in Qatar.
President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, reassured reporters that Israel would not carry out further strikes on Qatari soil.
However, Rubio avoided making such commitments while standing alongside Netanyahu in Israel, instead framing Qatar’s role as instrumental but secondary to Washington’s overarching support for Israel’s campaign.
The push reflects the Biden administration’s careful balancing act: leaning heavily on its decades-long alliance with Israel while pressing Gulf partners like Qatar to sustain mediation efforts despite direct risks.
The visit came a day after Arab and Islamic leaders gathered in Doha, calling on states to review relations with Israel and urging Washington to restrain its ally.
Yet Washington’s stance underscored that US support for Israel’s military strategy remains firm, even as it tries to preserve Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy.
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