US Secretary of State arrives in Israel at start of first visit to region

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the occupied state of Israel on Saturday on a visit that comes amid mounting international pressure to resume negotiations on the second phase of the prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that Rubio arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, where he was received by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. This is the US Secretary's first visit to Israel and the region since assuming office on January 21.

The Authority indicated that Rubio's visit to Tel Aviv coincided with calls from international mediators, led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, to begin talks on the second phase of the prisoner exchange and ceasefire agreement.

The Hebrew Authority quoted unnamed Israeli sources as saying that international mediators, led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, are pressing to start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza agreement "as soon as possible."

The sources explained that Israel needs to "manage the negotiations seriously" to secure the release of the rest of its prisoners held in Gaza. They warned that delaying the resumption of negotiations could "complicate the implementation of the remaining stages of the agreement."

On January 19, a ceasefire agreement went into effect in Gaza, which will last for 42 days in its first phase, during which negotiations will begin to start a second and then a third phase, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States. In protest of the signing of this agreement, the far-right Jewish Power party left the government coalition.

Meanwhile, Hebrew media outlets are reporting that Netanyahu promised the Religious Zionism party, headed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, not to move to the second stage of the agreement in order to convince it to remain in the coalition and thus prevent its collapse. Negotiations on the second stage of the agreement were supposed to begin on February 3, but Israel has not yet sent its delegation to Doha, where the negotiations are being held.

While news is raised in the Hebrew media from time to time about the Netanyahu government’s efforts to extend the first phase of the agreement, apparently until the completion of the prisoner swap deal, instead of entering its second phase, which may give credibility to what is being circulated about his promises to Smotrich.

All this comes amid internal contradictions in Israel. While the families of the prisoners are demanding that the agreement be completed quickly, leading to the return of their loved ones, Netanyahu is facing pressure from extremist ministers who are calling for the resumption of military operations in Gaza instead of negotiations.

(Anatolia)