The US Secretary of State, speaking after a G7 meeting, acknowledged the risk of spillover while vowing to contain the unrest.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced significant concern on Wednesday that a recent surge of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank threatens to destabilize American-backed efforts to secure a lasting peace in Gaza.
The remarks came amid a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, which U.S. mediators have been working to solidify. Rubio identified the escalating tensions in the occupied territory as a potential spoiler that could undermine these delicate negotiations.
When questioned by reporters on whether the West Bank violence could endanger the Gaza truce, Rubio responded, “I hope not. We don’t expect it to. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
He was speaking at a press conference following a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in Canada, highlighting the international dimension of the concerns. The Biden administration has been actively engaged in de-escalating conflicts on multiple fronts between Israelis and Palestinians.
The latest spate of settler attacks in the West Bank has raised alarms that the localized conflict could ignite a broader escalation, complicating the already challenging task of maintaining calm in Gaza and advancing longer-term diplomatic efforts.
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