Skyline of the Old City at the Western Wall and Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel.
by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered brief, upbeat remarks in Jerusalem on Thursday, even as tensions between Washington and Jerusalem escalated over a controversial Israeli bill to annex parts of Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank).
After their closed-door meeting, Netanyahu told reporters, “Now we face days of destiny. We want to advance peace. We still have security challenges, but I think that we can work together to both address the challenges and seize the opportunities.”
Rubio echoed optimism, describing progress on the Gaza ceasefire agreement brokered earlier this month. “We have more work ahead of us, but we feel very positive about it. We’re making good progress,” he said.
The joint press appearance lasted less than two minutes and included no questions from journalists. Both leaders avoided direct reference to the annexation controversy that has stirred anger in Washington.
Mounting U.S. Pressure
Rubio’s visit follows a sharp warning from President Donald Trump, who told Time magazine that Israel would “lose all support from the United States” if it proceeds with annexation plans. The U.S. president reportedly delivered a blunt ultimatum to Netanyahu in an October 4 phone call, warning him not to defy a ceasefire agreement that ended 24 months of conflict in Gaza.
According to Time’s report, Trump told Netanyahu, “Bibi, you can’t fight the world,” after the Israeli leader hesitated to accept U.S.-brokered peace terms. The call ended with Netanyahu agreeing to a two-phase ceasefire plan including hostage exchanges, humanitarian access, and partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, described the exchange as “a very blunt and straightforward statement to Bibi that he had no tolerance for anything other than this.”
Trump’s Middle East Reset
The ceasefire marked a milestone in Trump’s bid to reshape the Middle East, following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, diplomatic outreach to Arab leaders, and the deployment of Vice President JD Vance, Kushner, and Witkoff to cement regional cooperation.
Trump told Time that his approach was based on respect and deterrence: “The most important thing is they have to respect the President of the United States. The Middle East has to understand that.”
He claimed his willingness to use military force–such as authorizing strikes on Iran and eliminating Qasem Soleimani–had created “a different Middle East” where peace deals became possible.
Annexation Clash
Despite progress on the Gaza front, the Knesset’s push to annex Judea and Samaria has reignited international criticism and risks undermining U.S.-Israeli cooperation. Vice President Vance called the move “very stupid” during his visit on Wednesday, expressing frustration that the bill advanced while he was in the country.
Trump’s own remarks left little ambiguity. “It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries,” he told Time. “Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”
The controversy underscores the delicate balance Netanyahu faces between his right-wing coalition partners–pressing for annexation–and maintaining the U.S.-backed diplomatic track.
As Netanyahu stood beside Rubio on Thursday, his words carried both optimism and warning: “We are in days of destiny,” he said, signaling that Israel’s next steps could define its strategic future.
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