Rubio: Arab states never do ‘anything for Gaza,’ they should offer alternatives to Trump plan

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says his country is eager to hear new proposals by Arab states on Gaza, accusing them of not being willing to take any practical steps to help the Palestinians, following US President Donald Trump’s stunning plan to displace the territory’s entire population.

Rubio, who leaves later today on a trip that will take him to the Middle East, says he hopes to discuss ideas during his stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as Israel, after talks in Washington with Egypt and Jordan.

“Hopefully they’re going to have a really good plan to present the president,” Rubio says of Arab states, speaking on the radio show of conservative hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton. “Right now, the only plan — they don’t like it — but the only plan is the Trump plan. So if they’ve got a better plan, now’s the time to present it.”

“All these countries say how much they care about the Palestinians, but none of them want to take any Palestinians. None of them have a history of doing anything for Gaza,” Rubio charges.

Diplomats say that Egypt is leading efforts to present an alternative to Trump within weeks, which would involve training a new security force in Gaza and identifying local Palestinian leaders who would be in charge.

Rubio says he believes Arab states are “working in good faith,” but a red line is that there should be no future role for Hamas.

“If the countries in the region can’t figure that piece out, then Israel is going to have to do it, and then we’re back to where we’ve been,” he says.