Less than a week after the U.S. and Iran met in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, to discuss post-war negotiations, tensions are rising in Israel over U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the talks. On June 27, Politico reported that Vance has become a symbol of the U.S. no longer viewing Israel as an exception to its "America First" policy.
Since the onset of the Iran war in late February, the U.S. has provided extensive support to Israel. However, the economic impact of skyrocketing oil prices and rising domestic gasoline costs prompted the U.S. to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran regarding ceasefire negotiations. Despite this, Israel has shown signs of conflict with the U.S. by disregarding the MOU's first clause on withdrawing from Lebanon. On June 26, Israel signed a peace agreement with Lebanon, facilitated by U.S. mediation, but launched an attack on Lebanon the following day, resulting in one death, according to Al Jazeera. The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has rejected the Lebanon-Israel agreement, insisting it should be replaced by a U.S.-Iran agreement.
Vance has issued a strong warning to Israel, stating in a recent press conference, "President Donald Trump is the only world leader currently friendly to Israel. If I were a minister in the Israeli government, I would not attack our only remaining strong ally."
In response, voices of strong criticism have emerged from Israel. A source from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office told Politico, "The Netanyahu government has never trusted him (Vance). He is someone who pushes for agreements with Iran and strongly advocates for Israel's separation and independence." Inon Magal, a late-night talk show host on Channel 14, known for his pro-Netanyahu stance, also harshly criticized Vance, accusing U.S. representatives like Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner of "selling out Israel."
However, Politico suggests that Vance's recent actions reflect a broader movement beyond individual decisions, indicating a connection with President Trump. An associate of Vance noted, "JD is merely echoing President Trump's statements, yet Bibi's (Netanyahu's) camp is publicly and personally criticizing him harshly." A political advisor in Israel remarked to Politico, "When Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term, Israel expected to be an exception to the America First foreign policy. Their expectation of continued exceptional treatment during conflicts was naive."
Indeed, Prime Minister Netanyahu's visits to the U.S. have decreased this year. He made five trips last year and visited in February, but no further visits have been scheduled, and his phone calls with the U.S. government have significantly declined, according to Politico.
While some Republicans in the U.S. have criticized Vance's approach to Iran negotiations, many pro-Israel political factions remain supportive of him, as reported by The Washington Post.
Some in Israel argue that U.S. support is not merely financial but involves taking on roles that require direct military presence. David Ben-Bassat, CEO of 100FM, emphasized in an op-ed for the Jerusalem Post that Israel's battles against Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi rebels are not solely for its own defense but also contribute to protecting U.S. interests across the region and among moderate Arab states. He added, "Israel is performing roles that would be more extensive, costly, and dangerous if U.S. troops were stationed there."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.