Netanyahu says Israel in ‘full cooperation’ with Donald Trump, U.S.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working closely with President Donald Trump, according to a joint statement released on Sunday with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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“Contrary to what is being reported, President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination,” the prime minister told Rubio, according to the statement.

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“We have a shared strategy, which cannot always be detailed to the public — including when the gates of hell will open. And they will open if all our hostages are not returned, every last one of them,” it continued.

According to a statement from his office on Saturday, Netanyahu will convene the Security Cabinet “soon” to discuss Jerusalem’s response to Trump’s call for the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza to release all of the hostages it is holding.

Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing the release of all hostages, dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and eliminating the threat from Gaza.

For his part, the top American diplomat stressed at a press conference alongside the Israeli premier that the Jewish state has had no stronger ally in the White House than Trump.

Rubio emphasized that the hostages must be released and reiterated that Hamas cannot continue as a military or governing force in Gaza, saying that the terrorist group “must be eliminated.”

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On Syria, he stressed that replacing one destabilizing force with another is not the solution. With regard to Lebanon, he stated that “we share the same goal: a strong Lebanese state capable of disarming Hezbollah.”

Rubio maintained that the ayatollahs’ regime in Tehran is the source of all the instability in the Middle East, saying that this must be addressed and stressing that Iran must never have nuclear weapons.

He praised the Jewish state, saying, “Founded after a horrifying crime against humanity, Israel stands as a beacon to the world. More nations like Israel in the Middle East would make the world safer,” adding that “Israel seeks peace but won’t be intimidated by its enemies.”

Netanyahu offered Rubio a warm welcome, saying it was “great to welcome you to Jerusalem as secretary of state,” hailing Trump again as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had at the White House,” and reflecting on his recent visit to Washington.

Netanyahu said that he had had a “very production discussion” with Rubio in a private meeting at his Jerusalem office before participating in an extended diplomatic exchange with their teams. Netanyahu emphasized that Iran was the No. 1 topic of the conversations.

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“Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder in countering the threat of Iran. We agreed that the ayatollahs must not have nuclear weapons,” said Netanyahu. “We also agreed that Iran’s aggression in the region has to be rolled back,” adding that over the past 16 months, Israel “has dealt a mighty blow to Iran’s terror axis.

“Under the strong leadership of President Trump and with your unflinching support, I have no doubt that we can and will finish the job,” he added.

He thanked Trump for helping to secure the release of three more hostages on Saturday, after Hamas had earlier said they would not be freed on time.

“I also thanked him for America’s unequivocal backing for Israel’s policy in Gaza in moving forward,” said Netanyahu.

Netanyahu also said he and Rubio had discussed Trump’s “bold plan for Gaza” and how to make it a reality.

Turning to Lebanon, Netanyahu called the weekend attacks on UNIFIL forces by Hezbollah supporters in Beirut “concerning,” saying that Hezbollah must be disarmed and that “Israel will take necessary measures to enforce the ceasefire and ensure its security.”

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He praised Trump for reinstating his executive order against the International Criminal Court and sanctioning its officials, saying that he discussed with Rubio countering threats from anti-American and anti-Israel international forums.

Netanyahu said that he talked with Rubio “about working together to formulate a common strategy to deal with the threat of lawfare and neutralize this threat once and for all.

“There are significant challenges and opportunities. By working together, America and Israel will overcome obstacles and capitalize on opportunities. The best is yet to come,” Netanyahu said.

Rubio touched down in Israel on Saturday night for his first visit to the Jewish state since being confirmed as America’s top diplomat.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar greeted Rubio on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion International Airport. The two men were slated to tour the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Rubio and Sa’ar met on Sunday to discuss strengthening ties with Abraham Accords countries, relocating embassies to Jerusalem, legal challenges to Israel’s self-defence, combating antisemitism, boosting U.S.-Israel economic relations, and implementing Trump’s “connectivity” vision.

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They agreed to maintain open dialogue and plan Sa’ar’s visit to Washington soon.

The American diplomat is slated to meet with other high-ranking officials during his visit, including President Isaac Herzog and opposition leader Yair Lapid.

“Secretary Rubio’s engagements with senior officials will promote U.S. interests in advancing regional cooperation, stability and peace,” State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a press statement ahead of the visit.

“The trip will center on freeing American and all other hostages from Hamas captivity, advancing to Phase II of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and countering the destabilizing activities of the Iranian regime and its proxies,” the statement continued.

Rubio’s trip follows Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip, after which the coastal area would be turned over to American control for reconstruction.

On Thursday, Rubio said in an interview that any plan allowing Hamas to rule Gaza would be unacceptable to Israel and ineffective in resolving the conflict. He added that Trump was willing to take the lead on rebuilding Gaza, as no other viable plans have been proposed.

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Rubio‘s trip also comes amid Israel’s ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terrorist group and the release of hostages held in the Strip. The truce is “tenuous” because Hamas is a terrorist organization responsible for violence against civilians, Rubio told journalist Chris Cuomo by phone on NewsNation on Tuesday.

The secretary of state on Monday described Hamas as an “evil” and “monstrous” organization that must be wiped out.

“This is an evil organization. Hamas is evil. It’s pure evil. These are monsters. These are savages. That’s a group that needs to be eradicated,” he said during an interview on talk radio channel SiriusXM Patriot.

Rubio will also travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the next three days.

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