After Meeting Rubio, Sa’ar Declares ‘No Palestinian State’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar firmly rejected the prospect of a Palestinian state during his visit to Washington on Wednesday, declaring to reporters, “There will not be a Palestinian state.”

The remark came following what Sa’ar described as a “very good” meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where the two discussed pressing regional issues including Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the growing threat posed by Iran’s regime.

The pair did not take questions from the press prior to the meeting, but Sa’ar’s post-meeting comments signal a clear reaffirmation of Israel’s position against unilateral international efforts to impose a two-state framework. His statement also comes amid growing pressure from some Western governments to recognize a Palestinian state, a move Israel argues would reward terrorism and embolden Hamas.

Sa’ar’s clarity stands in stark contrast to recent diplomatic ambiguity surrounding postwar planning for Gaza. His statement leaves no room for misinterpretation: Jerusalem will not accept a sovereign Palestinian entity particularly one that could empower terror groups or destabilize the region further.

The Israeli foreign minister is also scheduled to meet Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who visited Israel in May following the murder of two employees at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, a reminder of the growing threats faced by Israeli diplomatic staff abroad.

Rubio, now leading the State Department, also met separately with IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi to discuss global nuclear safety and monitoring activities in Iran, where IAEA inspectors have just returned following June’s brief but devastating 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The talks emphasized the challenge of re-establishing oversight in a country where parts of the regime actively resist international transparency.

Grossi noted the complexity of resuming inspections in Iran, stating: “For some in Iran, the presence of international inspectors is detrimental to their international security. For some, that is not the case.”

In this shifting geopolitical landscape, Sa’ar’s rejection of a Palestinian state reasserts Israel’s security-first doctrine, especially in light of failed ceasefires, ongoing hostage situations, and regional instability stoked by Iran and its terror proxies.

As international conversations about Gaza’s future continue, Israel remains resolute: no statehood for a Palestinian entity that refuses to disarm, recognize Israel, or renounce terror.

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