Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar responded to U.S. Vice President JD Vance's claim that Israel owes gratitude for American weapons, asserting that Israeli intelligence has saved countless American lives and that Israeli-developed technologies serve the U.S. military before all others, according to Zohar's statement published by Israeli media.
Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar fired back at U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday, rejecting Vance's assertion that Israel is protected by American weapons and should be grateful. Zohar stated that Israeli intelligence has saved countless American civilian lives and that technologies developed in Israel are used by the U.S. military ahead of any other ally, calling the partnership important for the free world. The exchange follows a week of escalating U.S.-Israel political friction over the emerging Iran deal, as The Zioneer reported. Vance had directly challenged Israeli cabinet members in recent days, prompting support from Elon Musk and pushback from Israeli officials. Zohar's statement is the first direct Israeli ministerial response to Vance's remarks, though it carries no formal government mandate. The dispute underscores a widening rift between the Netanyahu government and the Trump administration over the contours of the Iran accord.
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