U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited a disputed archaeological site under Jerusalem on Monday, expressing U.S. support for a project led by Jewish settlers. Critics argue this undermines the possibility of a future Palestinian state.
The visit, which excluded international and local media, is the latest in a series of Trump administration endorsements for initiatives critics claim reinforce Israel’s claims to East Jerusalem, seen by Palestinians as their future state’s capital.
The City of David archaeological park is located near the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif or the Noble Sanctuary. This site has been a focal point of conflict and remains central to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
UNESCO opposed the park’s construction in Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood outside the internationally recognized borders of Israel.
Controversy Over Excavations
Prior to his trip, Rubio dismissed the notion that the archaeological site was politically motivated. He later shared photos on X, inaugurating what he referred to as the Pilgrimage Road.
“It’s a strong reminder of the Judeo-Christian values that inspired America’s Founding Fathers,” he stated, highlighting the site’s biblical importance. The excavated road is believed to have been used by visitors to Judaism’s Second Temple during Jesus Christ’s era.
The Trump administration’s 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and transfer the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv marked a shift from long-standing U.S. policy that Jerusalem’s status should be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Rubio’s visit precedes a United Nations meeting in New York where countries like Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium might officially recognize a Palestinian state, which Israel opposes.
Rubio has indicated that this move could prompt Israel to take actions to block the formation of a Palestinian state.
Residents and Israeli advocacy groups claim the excavations under Silwan occurred beneath Palestinian homes without consulting residents and lack professional archaeological standards.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Ze’ev Orenstein, director of international affairs at the City of David, stated, “All archaeological excavations are conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority to the highest standards.” He declined further questions.
Silwan activist Fakhri Abu Diab said the excavations were non-transparent and violated international law on occupied territories. He suggested Rubio’s visit empowers Israel and the settler movement. “This action by the United States gives the green light for more settlement expansions, demolitions, ethnic cleansing, and all practices executed by Israel,” he said.
Park Managed by Settlers
The conflict over Jerusalem’s archaeological and religious sites mirrors the sovereignty struggle since Israel’s 1948 founding. East Jerusalem and the Old City, with its Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Armenian quarters, were under Jordanian rule after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, barring Jews from holy sites until 1967.
Since capturing the area, Israel has aimed to maintain a Jewish majority in Jerusalem, while Palestinian residents face home demolitions, restrictive building permits, and what advocacy groups call systematic discrimination. Since the early 2000s, the City of David park has been managed by Elad, a settler group accused of acquiring land, buying Palestinian homes, and pushing for Palestinian family evictions in Silwan, according to a July U.N. report.
“Despite its diverse history, the narrative at the City of David highlights only the Jewish history (primarily the Kingdom of Judea and the Second Temple period), ignoring other periods and cultures,” the report stated.
Israel, under Netanyahu, insists Jerusalem will always remain under Israeli sovereignty, with access for all three Abrahamic religions to holy sites. Alon Arad, an Israeli archaeologist whose organization Emek Shaveh has raised concerns about the City of David’s practices, told Reuters the Trump administration’s support highlights the deep ties between the U.S. religious right and Jewish settlers. He pointed out that the site’s 2019 inauguration was attended by Trump’s first ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, emphasizing its political significance for Israel.
Rubio’s visit started on Sunday with Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, and nearby tunnels, another Israeli excavation criticized by the U.N. A State Department representative said the visit reaffirmed “America’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital.”
