Vice President JD Vance on Thursday delivered a stark message to Israeli government officials criticizing the Trump administration's Iran deal: Israel has no stronger allies left, so attacking the only powerful partner it has makes little strategic sense.
Vance was responding to reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious over the agreement signed this week. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Vance said Israeli cabinet members needed perspective about their own position.
"If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world," Vance said.
He underscored the scale of American support, pointing out that roughly two-thirds of the defensive weapons protecting Israel "have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars." The US provides Israel approximately 4 billion dollars annually in military assistance.
Vance then broadened his argument, suggesting that Israeli critics were misidentifying their country's real problems. "The problem for Israel is not Donald J Trump, and anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in," he said.
The deal signed this week aims to end the war with Iran, but has drawn sharp criticism from opponents in both the US and Israel. Critics argue the agreement fails to constrain Iran's missile program and provides no clear mechanism for dismantling its nuclear facilities. They also say it restricts Israel's ability to conduct military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Iran announced it will introduce a system of maritime fees in the Strait of Hormuz after a 60-day negotiating period specified in the memorandum of understanding. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway and rejected a European proposal to establish a naval escort mission through the vital energy route.
On the ground, Netanyahu said Israel would maintain a security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as deemed necessary. Trump for his part stated the US expects "a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel."
Author James Rodriguez: "Vance's rebuke was blunt even by current standards, but it exposed a genuine tension between defending a controversial deal and managing an alliance that has become politically fraught on both sides."
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