JD Vance rebuked Israeli critics of the US-Iran deal and defended Donald Trump's approach. His unusually sharp remarks landed as Israeli officials, including some of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet ministers, continued to attack the deal.
The US-Iran deal has sparked fierce debate among the pro-Israel lobby in Washington and within Israel. (Photo: Reuters)
A growing rift between Washington and Jerusalem burst into public view on Thursday as US Vice President JD Vance lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal , saying President Donald Trump is Israel's "only powerful ally". He even accused some Israeli cabinet ministers of reacting with a "freakout" over the agreement.
Vance's unusually sharp remarks landed as Israeli officials, including some of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet ministers, continued to attack the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, arguing that it fails to address Tehran's nuclear programme and curb its ballistic missile capabilities while limiting Israel's freedom of action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Speaking at a White House press conference, Vance defended the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this week between the US and Iran to end months of conflict , reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin negotiations toward a broader settlement.
"My message to them would be twofold. No. 1: Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time," Vance told reporters.
"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."
The US-Iran deal has sparked fierce debate among the pro-Israel lobby in Washington and within Israel 's political establishment in Jerusalem.
VANCE DEFENDS TRUMP'S GAMBLE
But Vance dismissed the criticism and pointed to America's longstanding military support for Israel.
He said Israeli leaders should remember that two-thirds of the defensive weapons protecting the country had been "built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars."
The US currently provides Israel with roughly $4 billion in military assistance annually, and the two allies are negotiating a new defence aid package.
"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," Vance said.
His comments landed amid reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was frustrated with the agreement, though Vance said he had not personally heard such complaints from Netanyahu himself.
'FREAKOUT' OVER IRAN DEAL DRAWS SHARP REBUKE
Vance reserved some of his strongest criticism for members of Israel's governing coalition who have attacked the agreement.
In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, the VP criticised Israel's approach to regional security and questioned whether military force alone could solve its long-term challenges.
"What is your exact proposal? You're a country of 9 million people. You can't just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have," Vance said.
He also dismissed the backlash against the agreement.
"I find this whole freakout in Israel a little bit odd because I think that it comes from a place of mistrust, and I think that America has earned the trust of that region of the world," he said.
The remarks drew an immediate response from Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, one of the most vocal opponents of the deal.
"This is the proposal ... To deal with the Nazis of the 21st century, just as the United States dealt with the Nazis of the 20th century," Ben-Gvir wrote on X.
VANCE WARNS ISRAEL OVER LEBANON STRIKES
He also took aim at recent Israeli military operations in Lebanon, describing heavy strikes in Beirut as "unacceptable" and suggesting they threatened delicate negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Vance said Trump had become increasingly frustrated whenever diplomatic progress appeared close, only to be followed by violence that risked escalating regional tensions.
"Israel has the right to defend itself, but fundamentally the Israelis, just like everybody else, have to respect this peace process that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region," Vance said.
"What the president gets very frustrated (with) sometimes is that we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden, there's a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That's not acceptable. That's the sort of thing that we've asked for closer coordination so that we ensure it doesn't happen," he added.
'DON'T GO WILD IN LEBANON'
Vance stressed that the agreement's Lebanon provisions required commitments from both Hezbollah and Israel.
"This is about regiona…
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