US Vice President J.D. Vance issued a stern warning to Israel over its criticism of the US-Iran agreement reached after weeks of conflict and tensions. “Trump is Israel’s only ally,” Vance said, defending the MAGA boss.
“His comments came amid reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies are “secretly dissatisfied” with the agreement aimed at ending the conflict with Iran. Vance also stressed that Washington remains Israel’s strongest and most important ally.Speaking at a White House news conference, Vance defended the agreement amid criticism from critics, who said it failed to adequately address Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and could restrict Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.In response to reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unhappy with the agreement, Vance said he had not heard such comments directly from Netanyahu but criticized members of the Israeli government.“My message to them will be twofold,” Vance said. “No. 1: Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the world who sympathizes with the State of Israel at this moment in time.”He also added: “If I were a member of the government of the Israeli government, I might not attack the only strong ally I have left anywhere in the entire world.”
The Vice President also highlighted US military support for Israel, saying: “Two-thirds of the defensive weapons protecting Israel were built by American hands and paid for with American tax dollars.” Reuters reported that the United States currently provides Israel with approximately $4 billion in annual military aid. But Netanyahu’s office or the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not responded to these comments yet.“The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump and anyone in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is that the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation the country is going through,” Vance said.Israeli officials, who spoke to Reuters anonymously, said the agreement did not resolve concerns about Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Netanyahu later said that Israel values its relationship with Washington but will continue to maintain a security presence in southern Lebanon.The dispute escalated after Vance criticized Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in an interview with the New York Times.“What exactly is your proposal? You are a country of 9 million people. You cannot simply kill your way out of solving every national security problem you have,” Vance said in the interview.He also described the “strange paranoia” and “panic” in Israel over the deal, adding: “This is not the way the deal was written.”Meanwhile, the White House said Vance would not travel to Switzerland to attend a scheduled round of technical talks with Iran due to logistical challenges. Reuters quoted officials as saying that negotiations on implementation details are continuing, while oil shipments have resumed through the Strait of Hormuz after the easing of restrictions and the initial ceasefire.
