Rubio, Saudi Arabia's MBS discuss Gaza as Trump plan infuriates Arab world

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have discussed plans for Gaza during a meeting, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

"The Secretary underscored the importance of an arrangement for Gaza that contributes to regional security," Bruce said in a readout of the meeting between Rubio and the crown prince.

Rubio is visiting the Middle East after President Donald Trump angered the Arab world with a shocking proposal for the Palestinian residents of the war-torn enclave to be expelled and resettled in other Arab nations and for the US to occupy and lead in rebuilding it.

The two also reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire agreed last month between Israel and Hamas and discussed Syria, Lebanon and the Red Sea, Bruce said.

The Secretary also highlighted the 80th anniversary of the 1945 meeting between then-President Franklin Roosevelt and Saudi King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy and expressed a commitment to deepening US-Saudi economic and defense cooperation, Bruce added.

Russia-US talks in the country

Saudi state news agency SPA said they discussed regional and global developments and efforts to achieve security and stability.

Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day from Israel where he began his first visit to the region as the top US diplomat.

He is also scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates as part of his ongoing regional tour.

Rubio's previously planned visit comes ahead of an expected meeting between US officials with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Saudi Arabia that is set to focus on ending the war in Ukraine and restoring broader Russia-US ties.

Neither side's statement mentioned discussions about Ukraine.

Rubio's visit comes as Trump has proposed to "take over" Gaza, ethnically cleanse Palestinians there to Egypt, Jordan and other countries without any right to return and transform it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

The idea has been widely rejected by the Arab and Muslim world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.