Vance denies U.S. dictates Israeli policy

Netanyahu likewise insists the two allies have ‘common goals’ in the ceasefire effort.

- By ME.Laniz LIDMAN

Vice President JD Vance sought Wednesday to ease concerns in Israel that the Trump administration was dictating terms to its closest ally in the Middle East, as he and other top U.S. envoys visit Israel this week to support the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

“We don't want in Israel a vassal state, and that’s not what Israel is. We want a partnership, we want an ally,” Vance said beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to a reporter’s question about whether Israel was becoming a U.S. “protectorate.”

Netanyahu — who will meet with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday — expressed similar sentiments while acknowledging differences of opinion as they push forward the U.S.-proposed ceasefire agreement.

“One week they say that Israel controls the United States. A week later they say the United States controls Israel. This is hogwash. We have a partnership, an alliance of partners who share common values, common goals,” Netanyahu said.

One concern in Israel is that an international security force in Gaza — envisioned in the ceasefire’s second phase — could limit the Israeli military's ability to take action in the Palestinian territory if it perceives a threat to its own security.

Vance acknowledged that the road to long-term peace is challenging, with the ceasefire less than two weeks old, but tried to maintain the buoyant tone he sounded Tuesday after arriving in Israel.

“We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza to make life better for the people in Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel.

That's not easy,” Vance said.