During a Senate confirmation hearing, much of the focus shifted to Israel, as Marco Rubio expressed strong opinions about the need to revoke visas for anyone in the United States found to support Hamas.

Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, also spoke in favor of extending the Abraham Accords initiated during Trump’s presidency. Additionally, he vowed to lift sanctions imposed during President Biden’s administration on certain West Bank settlers. This stance underscored his commitment to advancing Trump’s Middle East policies.

Addressing visa policy, Rubio said removing visas for Hamas supporters is a straightforward and logical measure. “If you apply for a visa to come into the United States and in the process of being looked at, it comes to light you’re a supporter of Hamas, we wouldn’t let you in,” he explained. “Now that you got the visa and [are] inside the U.S. and we realize you’re a supporter, we should remove your visa. If you could not come in because you’re a supporter of Hamas, you should not be able to stay. That’s how I view it.” He emphasized that he plans to approach this matter “very forcefully.”

This debate over visas has gained traction following an increase in pro-Palestinian activism, particularly on American college campuses, after the events of October 7. Some demonstrations have prominently included expressions of support for Hamas, leading Trump to promise deportation for students engaging in such activities, a move critics argue infringes on free speech rights. Rubio had previously echoed similar sentiments in a joint opinion piece with Republican Senator Dave McCormick, who helped set the stage for Rubio’s declaration by referencing “pro-terrorist violence on our college campuses” during the hearing. However, Rubio did not explicitly define the phrase “supporter of Hamas.”

Unlike the contentious confirmation hearing for defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Rubio’s session had a more cooperative tone but was interrupted by the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. Rubio called the agreement “hopeful” while acknowledging he lacked complete details. He praised both the Biden administration and Trump transition team for collaborating on the deal.

Rubio staunchly defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza, rejecting claims that the Israeli Defense Forces deliberately target civilians. He highlighted the accusations as unfounded, aligning with Israel’s official stance.

Promising to address the issue of antisemitism, Rubio committed to swiftly appointing a special envoy for antisemitism, a position currently held by Deborah Lipstadt. Trump’s initial failure to fill the role during his first term had drawn criticism, but Rubio did not name a specific successor.

In another policy statement, Rubio suggested reversing Biden-era restrictions on violent Israeli settler groups. Responding to Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s question about “discriminatory sanctions against Jews living in Judea and Samaria,” Rubio agreed, asserting his confidence that Trump’s administration would remain among the most pro-Israel in history.

Rubio also commented on accusations of genocide against Israel, describing the term as being misused to malign the country. He criticized the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that the ICC had damaged its reputation globally. He speculated that the court might use Israel as a precedent for targeting the United States, which, like Israel, is not a member of the ICC.

{Matzav.com}