Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denied claims that Israel is attempting to sabotage the end of the war with Iran, saying he clarified the matter in a morning phone call with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. According to a transcript published by Abu Ali Express, Netanyahu said that 'individual people in our system may have their own opinions, but I determine government policy — and that is not our policy.'
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denied claims that Israel is attempting to prolong the military campaign against Iran, responding directly to recent remarks by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. In an interview published by Abu Ali Express, Netanyahu said he spoke with Vance this morning and "clarified the matter," asserting that Vance's characterization of Israeli policy is "simply not true."
"Individual people in our system may have their own opinions, but I determine government policy — and that is not our policy," Netanyahu said, according to the transcript.
The exchange follows a series of public statements by Vance in which he accused unnamed Israeli officials of trying to influence American public opinion to keep the war going. In a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, Vance said that "Israel is trying to sabotage the end of the war with Iran" and that there are "elements in their system trying to influence American public opinion so that the war continues."
The Zioneer has reported extensively on the widening U.S.-Israel rift over the emerging nuclear agreement with Tehran. Last week, the White House acknowledged that President Trump agrees with Vance's assessment that foreign countries seek to influence U.S. opinion. Vance has also argued that Netanyahu's silence on the deal indicates he is privately aware of its terms, a claim Netanyahu has not directly addressed.
The prime minister's denial on Thursday marks the first time he has publicly pushed back against Vance's specific allegations. The conversation between the two leaders this morning suggests an effort to contain the diplomatic fallout, though it remains unclear whether the underlying policy differences over Iran have been resolved.
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