US Vice President JD Vance stated on Tuesday that American Middle East policy must not become “subservient to the state of Israel,” acknowledging that Washington and Jerusalem sometimes diverge on strategic interests despite their close alliance.
Trump’s approach to Netanyahu
Speaking on the “All-In Podcast” on YouTube, Vance said President Donald Trump recognizes Israel’s value as a partner in military technology and intelligence sharing. However, Vance noted that Trump has shown “more than, frankly, any president in the last 40 years” a willingness to distance himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when American interests differ from those of the Israeli government.
NATO parallels
Vance drew a parallel between Washington’s approach to Israel and its relationships with NATO allies. The US has “a lot of important relationships, a lot of important partnerships in NATO, but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna completely make our European foreign policy subservient to NATO, in the same way that we cannot let our Middle Eastern foreign policy be subservient to the State of Israel,” he said. The comparison underscored the administration’s view that alliances should not override unilateral American interests.
‘Pursue America’s interests’
“We’re gonna work with people when we work with them, we’re gonna disagree when we disagree. And we’re gonna pursue America’s interests. That’s the only way to have a rational foreign policy,” Vance added. The remarks come amid ongoing debates over the extent of US influence in Israeli military decision-making and the future of American diplomatic engagement in the region.
