Condemns Israeli strikes on Beirut, saying civilian harm that disrupts Iran peace talks is unacceptable
United States Vice PresidentJD Vance lashedout at Israeli critics of the Iran deal on Thursday. saying PresidentDonald Trumpwas Israel's only ally, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in US defence aid the country receives.
Vance was defending thedeal reached this weekto end the war with Iran that critics in the US. Israel have slammed for failing to curb Iran's missile programme and providing no clear path to dismantling its nuclear facilities, while constraining Israel in its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Trump has repeatedly criticised longtime ally Israel, spiking tensions nearly four months after the two countries partnered to attack Iran. The war has roiled markets. global oil supplies as Tehran responded by closing the critical Strait of Hormuz supply route.
Vance, asked at a White House news briefing about a report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was fuming over the agreement, said he had not heard such comments from Netanyahu but criticised members of the Israeli leader's cabinet, who he said had attacked the deal. personally attacked Trump.
Vance acknowledged that the comments from members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet “bother” him, maintaining that Trump "is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,. he happens to be the head of state of the world superpower".
"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."
He said he would also remind those cabinet members that two-thirds of the defensive weapons that had protected Israel "have been built by American hands. paid for by American tax dollars". The US provides Israel with roughly $4 billion in military assistance a year,. the two countries are negotiating a new aid agreement.
"The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump. anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of theUnited Statesneeds to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in," Vance said.
Netanyahu's office and Israel's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Vance on Lebanon attacks
Vance further criticised Israeli attacks on Beirut that disrupted peace talks with Iran during the final hours of negotiations. describing the resulting harm to civilians as "not acceptable".
"The president is growing frustrated sometimes. We seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement,. then all of a sudden there's a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population centre in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That's not acceptable," he said.
Read More:Israeli analysts call Netanyahu ‘liar’, ‘humiliated’ by Trump after US-Iran deal
Vance said that in the wake of the Iran deal's signing, the US expected Hezbollah to halt drone. rocket attacks on Israel, and for Israel to refrain from "going wild in Lebanon".
Tensions grow between US, Israel
Israeli senior officials, speaking anonymously, have said the deal terms werebad for Israelbecause they failed to address concerns over Iran's nuclear. ballistic missile programme, a view they said is shared across Israel's leadership.
Trump tried to play down Israel's concerns during closingremarkson Wednesday at theGroup of Sevensummit inFrance. Netanyahu could use a "softer touch" in the fight against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Trump said.
In his first comments since the deal, Netanyahu said at a public event that Israel appreciated its relationship with the US. would continue to occupy southern Lebanon to maintain security for citizens living near Israel's northern border.
"This requires maintaining the security strip in southern Lebanon; it requires. we not leave there as long as Israel's security needs require it," Netanyahu said.
Israel published a mapon Thursday showing an expanded military control zone insouthern Lebanonand said it would not rule out carrying out attacks beyond it. challenging the terms of the US-Iran pact.
Vance clashes with far-right minister
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. a linchpin in Netanyahu's governing coalition, has harshly rebuked the US-Iran deal and insisted Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon.
Also Read:US has lifted blockade on all maritime traffic entering, exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas: CENTCOM
Vance criticised Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in aNew York Timesinterview released earlier on Thursday. "What is your exact proposal? You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have," Vance said.
"I find this whole freakout in Israel a little bit odd because I think that it comes from a place of mistrust,. I think that America has earned the trust of that region of the world," Vance said.
Ben-Gvir responded to Vance's remarks on X, saying, "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."
This is the proposal,@JDVance:To deal with the Nazis of the 21st century. just as the United States dealt with the Nazis of the 20th century.pic.twitter.com/kv0wbRa9gi
Trump. in a social media post after Vance's remarks on Thursday, said he encouraged everyone in the Middle East to maintain their commitment to allowing negotiations to take place. "We expect a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel," Trump wrote.
President Trump says Lebanon included in deal,. he expects a ceasefire on all fronts.“The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are…pic.twitter.com/Q4gHDnly5G
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