Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has flatly rejected US Vice President JD Vance's claim that America is Israel's only powerful ally left in the world. In an interview given on Sunday, Netanyahu hit back by naming India, a country of 1.4 billion people, as another nation whose support for Israel runs deep.
The Iran and Lebanon Rift Behind the Tension
The United States and Israel have long been seen as inseparable allies, and it was the two countries together that launched the war against Iran in the first place. But that very war has now left cracks in the relationship, with disagreements over Iran and Lebanon pushing tempers on both sides. Countries that once spoke of standing by each other through anything are now trading sharp words. Donald Trump himself had already been taking Benjamin Netanyahu to task, and now Vice President JD Vance has joined in with his own warnings to Israel. But Netanyahu was in no mood to stay quiet, and he hit back hard at Vance's remarks.
Netanyahu's Answer on Fox News
In an interview with Fox News, Benjamin Netanyahu said he respects JD Vance a great deal, but that respect does not mean he agrees with everything Vance says. Netanyahu said, 'First of all, I respect JD Vance. Our relationship is very good, but that doesn't mean I agree with everything he says. And I have to say that Donald Trump has been our greatest friend ever in the White House, and I stand by that fully.' In other words, Netanyahu praised Trump on one hand while pushing back on Vance's argument that the United States is Israel's only strong partner on the other.
'We Have Friends Like India Too,' Says Netanyahu
Netanyahu then responded directly to Vance's comment by naming India in particular. He said, 'Second, we have some other friends too, like India. You know there are 1.4 billion people there. We get tremendous support there. You know I have a Facebook page, and I get massive support from there.' That remark directly challenged Vance's claim that the United States is the only powerful ally Israel has left in the world. Netanyahu also added that several governments around the world have quietly backed Israel despite facing domestic political pressure at home, even if they do not say so openly.
What Vance Had Said in June
Netanyahu's response was a direct reply to remarks JD Vance made back in June. At the time, Vance was defending President Donald Trump's Iran policy, which was facing criticism from some Israeli ministers, and he said, 'My message to them would be two things. Number one, Donald Trump is the only world leader right now who is sympathetic to the state of Israel.' Vance also went further, warning members of Netanyahu's cabinet against publicly criticizing Washington. He said, 'If I were in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I would not attack my only powerful ally left in the world.' The message was clear: Vance was suggesting that Israel has no other reliable power to lean on besides the United States, and should therefore avoid picking a fight with Washington.
Dispute Surfaces Ahead of Washington Visit, Lebanon Differences Persist
What makes the timing notable is that Netanyahu made these remarks just as he is preparing to travel to Washington, where he is expected to meet Donald Trump directly. The fact that this exchange has played out publicly right before that meeting suggests some real friction has crept into the relationship. On top of that, Israel and the United States also have open differences over the situation in Lebanon, meaning the disagreement is not limited to public statements alone but extends to policy as well. Even so, Netanyahu made it clear that despite all of this, he still considers Donald Trump the best friend Israel has had in the White House, he simply rejects Vance's suggestion that the United States is the only powerful ally Israel has left.
