Gideon Sa’ar after meeting with Rubio in Washington: 'There will not be a Palestinian state.'

Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, was categorical in Washington  when responding to a question about the future of a potential Palestinian state: "There will not be a Palestinian state," he stated to journalists after his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Sa’ar described the meeting as "very good" and explained that the conversation focused on key issues of the regional agenda: the situation in Gaza, the growing power of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the conflict in Syria, and, centrally, the need to curb Iran's destabilizing influence in the Middle East. 

The Israeli minister also plans to meet with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, whom he had already received in Israel in May, shortly after the killing of two employees at the Israeli embassy in Washington.

On his X account, Sa’ar thanked Rubio for his hospitality and highlighted his unwavering commitment to Israel:

"I thank @SecRubio for his hospitality in Washington D.C. and for his personal and ongoing support for Israel. We had a productive meeting about the challenges and mutual interests of our nations. Israel doesn't have a greater friend than the U.S. led by @POTUS Trump, and the U.S. doesn't have a greater ally than Israel!"

The day in Washington also included a meeting with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi.

The State Department reported that both discussed global nuclear security, especially the situation of Ukrainian facilities and the monitoring of nuclear activities in Iran.

Grossi confirmed that IAEA inspectors recently returned to Iran, for the first time since the 12-day war in June. However, he warned about the complexity of the task:

"As you know, there are many facilities in Iran; some were attacked, others were not. We are discussing what modalities can be applied to restart our work there. It is not an easy situation, because for some in Iran the presence of international inspectors is seen as a threat, and for others it is not," he explained in statements to Fox News.

Sa’ar's statements reflect Israel's firm position in a regional context marked by instability and international pressure. The message to Washington is clear: Israel doesn't consider the creation of a Palestinian state and believes that the true priority is to stop the advance of Iran and its allies in the region.

The visit also reinforces the strength of the bond between Jerusalem and Washington, a strategic axis that both countries continue to define as irreplaceable in the fight against terrorism, radicalization, and the Iranian nuclear threat.