The harsh criticism leveled against Israel by U.S. Vice President JD Vance has sparked angry reactions.
Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida wrote: “Israel is our greatest ally and strongest partner in the Middle East. The evil Iranian regime wants to wipe BOTH of us off the face of the Earth. That will never happen because we will ALWAYS stand together."
“America’s unwavering support for Israel’s defense helps make the America First agenda possible, the U.S. stronger, and the world a safer place," he stressed.
Professor Jeffrey Lax of New York University, a prominent activist for the Jewish community and in the fight against antisemitism and discrimination against pro-Israel professors and students, was even sharper in his criticism.
“The most sickening part of JDVance 's mid-book tour press conference? Right here, where he accuses Israel(!) of attacking civilian population centers in Beirut when every honest person on earth knows it is exactly the other way around," Lax said.
“This man CANNOT be our next president," Lax declared.
The criticism was also echoed by the “Green Prince," Mosab Hassan Yousef, who lives in the United States.
"Israel is not a client state. It is a sovereign, independent, and powerful nation.Its strength has never depended on any foreign leader, it comes from its own people. While the partnership with the United States has been valuable, Israel has never been a burden. It has delivered massive contributions to American technology, medicine, cybersecurity, and defense, far beyond what most Americans realize. At a moment when America is facing deep internal and external challenges, turning against one of its most capable and loyal allies is not just shortsighted, it is self-destructive. Those who believe they are weakening Israel by attacking it are actually weakening America’s own interests," Yousef said.
During a White House briefing yesterday (Thursday), Vance claimed that Israel was bombing Lebanon indiscriminately.
“The president is sometimes frustrated that when we are at a breakthrough toward an agreement - there is a major explosion in Beirut and many people who are not connected to Hezbollah lose their lives. That is not acceptable to us - and Israel needs to make sure that does not happen," Vance said.
The vice president also criticized Israeli cabinet ministers, saying: “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have in the entire world."
He claimed that two-thirds of the weapons that defended Israel “were developed in the United States and funded by the American taxpayer."
He added: “Anyone who thinks Israel’s problem is Donald Trump needs to wake up."
“We speak with Bibi and members of the Israeli government almost every day, and Trump has been very clear that he is not denying Israel’s right to self-defense. The Israelis, like all sides, must respect this peace process," Vance added.