The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make his first visit to the Middle East in February, according to a high-ranking official at the American Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rubio will first participate in the security conference in Munich, Germany next week and then visit Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The US President Donald Trump shocked large parts of the world on Tuesday by declaring that the US would take over Gaza, relocate Palestinians, and transform the war-torn area into a "Middle East Riviera".
Rubio has later sought to downplay Trump's statement, saying it would involve a temporary relocation during Gaza's reconstruction. He has also said that he wants to see other countries in the region take responsibility for such a reconstruction.
