By:  Ariella Haviv

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar departed Washington on Wednesday with a message of both reassurance and resolve. Following his meeting at the U.S. State Department with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Sa’ar told reporters that the bilateral talks had been “very good” and reinforced the shared strategic objectives of the United States and Israel. Yet, in his comments to The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), the Israeli foreign minister delivered an unmistakable message regarding one of the most contentious issues in international diplomacy: the question of a Palestinian state.

“There won’t be one,” Sa’ar told JNS flatly when asked about Israel’s plan for dealing with Palestinian statehood. That unequivocal remark, delivered against the backdrop of mounting international pressure for renewed negotiations, underscored Sa’ar’s hardline stance and reflected the Israeli government’s conviction that a Palestinian state would not resolve but rather exacerbate the instability of the Middle East.

According to a U.S. readout, Rubio and Sa’ar met to “reaffirm the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” a formulation that has become a cornerstone of American policy since Israel’s founding but which, in the current climate, carries renewed urgency.

The State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, stated that the discussions touched on “key issues in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria” and focused on “the importance of countering Iran’s malign influence.” Both sides emphasized that “continued close cooperation between their countries is vital to the security and prosperity of the region.”

Sa’ar, in turn, thanked Rubio “for his hospitality in Washington, D.C., and his personal and unwavering support for Israel.” Speaking after the meeting, he declared: “We had a productive meeting on mutual challenges and interests for both our nations. Israel has no greater friend than the United States led by President Donald Trump, and the United States has no greater ally than Israel.”

The JNS report highlighted that this statement reflects the enduring centrality of the U.S.–Israel relationship, even as international actors from Europe to the United Nations push for greater concessions from Jerusalem.

As reported by JNS, one of the principal items on the agenda was Iran’s nuclear program, an issue that has dominated Israel’s security planning for decades. Sa’ar and Rubio discussed the unprecedented cooperation between the two nations to address Tehran’s accelerating enrichment activities and the possibility of invoking the so-called “SnapBack” mechanism—a provision under international law that could reimpose global sanctions on Iran should it violate its nuclear commitments.

For Israel, the specter of a nuclear-armed Iran is existential. Sa’ar stressed that Jerusalem views Iran not only as a regional adversary but as the central engine of instability from Gaza to Lebanon and Syria. Rubio echoed this perspective, reiterating America’s determination to work “hand in glove” with Israel in countering Tehran’s ambitions.

JNS has consistently noted that the Biden-era hesitation on Iran was replaced by renewed assertiveness following Trump’s return to office, with Rubio as secretary of state pledging that “the ayatollahs will never acquire a nuclear weapon.” Sa’ar’s meeting with Rubio confirmed that this stance remains firmly in place.

Equally central to their conversation was the war in Gaza, where Israel continues its military campaign to dismantle Hamas following the group’s atrocities of October 7, 2023. According to the Israeli readout, Sa’ar and Rubio discussed “the war against Hamas in Gaza, and the upcoming U.N. General Assembly discussions next month.”

It was in this context that Sa’ar delivered his blunt assessment to JNS regarding Palestinian statehood: “There won’t be one.” For Sa’ar, the events of the past year have laid bare the impossibility of a viable Palestinian state existing alongside Israel. Hamas’s entrenchment in Gaza, its willingness to sacrifice civilians, and its alignment with Iran all serve as evidence, in Sa’ar’s view, that Palestinian sovereignty would represent not peace but perpetual war.

The New York Times and other outlets have reported growing calls within Europe and the Arab world for renewed negotiations toward a two-state solution. But as the JNS report indicated, Israeli leaders increasingly regard such proposals as detached from the security realities of the region. Sa’ar’s categorical rejection reflects not only his personal convictions but a broader Israeli consensus hardened by years of terror and instability.

The ministers also turned their attention to Lebanon and Syria, where Iranian-backed militias—most notably Hezbollah—continue to pose grave threats to Israel’s northern frontier. According to the Israeli readout, the two sides discussed “the different challenges and opportunities in the Middle East,” including the necessity of containing Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal and preventing Syria from becoming a permanent Iranian stronghold.

The JNS report emphasized that Israel’s defense establishment has repeatedly warned of a potential multi-front war, in which Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian proxies in Syria and Iraq would coordinate attacks. Sa’ar’s discussions with Rubio underscored the need for American support to deter such escalation and to strengthen Israel’s capacity to respond should deterrence fail.

Beyond the battlefield, Sa’ar and Rubio addressed the diplomatic front. The Israeli foreign ministry reported that the two ministers discussed “cooperation in repelling anti-Israel initiatives in the international arena.” This phrase referred to the mounting efforts at the United Nations and other international bodies to censure Israel for its conduct in Gaza.

According to the information provided in the JNS report, Israel has faced a barrage of hostile resolutions, many driven by blocs of states that have long sought to delegitimize the Jewish state. Sa’ar stressed the importance of American backing in countering these initiatives, particularly at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly. Rubio affirmed that Washington would continue to use its diplomatic weight to shield Israel from one-sided condemnations.

Sa’ar’s visit to Washington, brief though it was, reaffirmed the strategic symbiosis between Israel and the United States. In public remarks and in his comments to JNS, Sa’ar emphasized that the alliance is not merely transactional but rooted in shared values and mutual security interests.

The language of solidarity has become familiar over decades of U.S.–Israel relations. Yet, as the JNS report observed, the timing of this reaffirmation is significant. With Israel engaged in a grinding war against Hamas, facing threats from Hezbollah, and preparing for contentious debates at the U.N., the assurance of unwavering American support provides not only practical security but moral reinforcement.

Gideon Sa’ar’s Washington visit distilled the complex realities of Middle Eastern diplomacy into a few stark truths. Iran remains the paramount threat. Hamas must be defeated. Hezbollah must be deterred. And as Sa’ar told JNS with categorical certainty, the notion of a Palestinian state—long a pillar of diplomatic orthodoxy—has no place in Israel’s vision of security.

For critics, this stance may seem intransigent. For Sa’ar and many Israelis, it is simply recognition of reality. The suffering in Gaza, the proliferation of terror groups, and the malign influence of Iran all testify that Palestinian statehood would not produce peace but invite greater catastrophe.

Israel’s leaders are increasingly unwilling to indulge illusions. In Washington, Sa’ar found a counterpart in Marco Rubio who shares this outlook. Together, they reaffirmed the principle that has long defined the alliance between their nations: solidarity in the face of danger, and clarity in the face of delusion.