U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with the New York Times that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not criticized the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement, adding that Netanyahu is well-acquainted with its details. Vance directly challenged Israeli Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich, who have opposed the deal, asking what their alternative proposal is, and said Israel, a country of nine million people, 'cannot simply kill your way out of every security problem.'
U.S. Vice President JD Vance's latest remarks, published by the New York Times on Thursday at 17:14 Jerusalem, escalate his public pressure on Israeli coalition ministers who oppose the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement. In the interview, Vance directly challenged Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to produce an alternative proposal, framing their opposition as lacking a viable plan. 'You are a country of nine million people. You cannot simply kill your way out of every security problem you have,' Vance said. The vice president also asserted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not criticized the deal and is familiar with its content — a claim that reiterates the administration's position that the Israeli premier is privately on board.
As The Zioneer tracked earlier in the thread, the first version of this story (published simultaneously at 17:14 Jerusalem Thursday) reported Vance's original NYT podcast criticism of Ben Gvir and Smotrich. The update version (also at 17:14) added the direct challenge asking for an alternative and the claim that Netanyahu has not criticized the agreement. The desk's earlier reporting — starting with a Sunday Jun 14 bulletin, through Tuesday Jun 16 at 06:53 Jerusalem, and into Wednesday Jun 17 at 17:12 — documented Vance's evolving defense of the deal across Fox News, CNN, and other outlets. On Monday Jun 15 at 13:45 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Vance confirmed he would attend the signing ceremony in Geneva, with Trump's participation possible.
Background context, as The Zioneer has reported across multiple bulletins since Sunday: the administration has kept the full text of the memorandum of understanding classified, drawing criticism from commentators across the political spectrum. Vance has argued the deal benefits Israel, calling it a 'good partner,' and has pushed back against those he says 'just want bombing to continue.' A group of American commentators across the political spectrum has demanded the full text be made public.
It remains unclear whether Netanyahu himself — who Vance claims has not criticized the deal — will publicly endorse or distance himself from the agreement. The full text of the U.S.-Iran MOU remains classified. Vance acknowledged residual uncertainty about Iran's compliance in a CNN interview Tuesday at 00:33 Jerusalem, saying 'you can't be 100% certain Iran will meet its commitments.'
5 developments
- StrongVance tells NYT Israel gripped by 'strange panic' over US-Iran deal, questions critics
- DevelopingVP Vance says Netanyahu does not criticize US-Iran deal because he knows its details
- StrongVance: 'Our money protected you. Trump? He's not your problem — wake up'
- StrongVP Vance promotes US-Iran agreement on Fox News, says deal benefits Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake