Vice President JD Vance on Thursday reaffirmed that Israel still has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah, but warned against escalating the conflict, calling for Lebanon's sovereignty to be "respected by all parties." "The Israelis, just like everybody else, have to respect this peace process that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region," Vance said.
The post WATCH: JD Vance Says Israel Still Has the Right to Self Defense But Has to “Respect Peace Process” – Blasts Strikes on Civilians in Beirut: “That’s Not Acceptable” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Vice President Vance on Thursday issued a blunt warning to members of the Israeli government who have been attacking the deal with Iran: President Trump is the only friend you have left, and it would be unwise to cross him.Why it matters: Vance gave public voice to the consternation many on Trump's team have felt with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over the past three months. He also issued a veiled threat that if Israel undermines the deal, U.S. military support could be impacted.What he's saying: Asked about an Axios report that Netanyahu and his political allies were "fuming" over the deal, Vance said he'd read the story but hadn't experienced any fuming from Netanyahu — though he had been "bothered" by members of the Israeli cabinet attacking Trump over the deal. "Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time, and he happens to be the head of state of the world's superpower. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world," Vance said.Vance added that Israel should consider that "two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.""The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump, and anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the President of the U.S. needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in," Vance said.The other side: Netanyahu has kept his frustrations with the deal private, but has been venting in private conversations, sources say.Some senior members of Netanyahu's cabinet — including ultranationalist ministers Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, but also ministers from Netanyahu's Likud party — have attacked Trump over the deal. Pro-Netanyahu voices in the Israeli media have made personal attacks against Vance as well as Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.On Thursday, Netanyahu said the current situation requires the Israeli government to "remain calm, stand firmly on our security interests and at the same time preserve the important relationship with our American friends, who fought shoulder to shoulder alongside us, and for that we are deeply grateful."At the same time Netanyahu said Israel will not withdraw from the territories it has occupied in southern Lebanon "as long as Israel's security needs demand it."Friction point: The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding says the ceasefire includes the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and Israel would have to withdraw from Lebanon under any final deal.Vance said in a press conference on Thursday that the U.S. expects Hezbollah not to launch attacks against Israel, but also expects the Israelis "not to be going wild" in Lebanon. "The Israelis have to respect this peace process...the president's expectation is that all of our friends, the Israelis, the Arabs in the region are gonna work together and actually see this deal to completion," he said.A day earlier, Trump reiterated his criticism of Israel for knocking down "an apartment house every time you're looking for someone" in Lebanon.The latest: After Vance's press conference, Trump posted on Truth Social encouraging "everyone in the Middle East Region" to allow the deal to unfold successfully. "We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel," he added.Go deeper: U.S. and Iran sign deal ahead of schedule
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani trolled Knicks owner James Dolan during the team's championship celebration.The Knicks won their first title Saturday since 1973, and the city held a parade for a team that has already been hailed as the greatest in New York's long and storied sports history, and Mamdani lauded past players and fans who suffered through the championship drought together.For 53 long years, we have watched the Nixon, we have waited," the mayor said. "We waited as the memory of Willis Reed winning the championship on one leg grew fainter and fainter. We waited as 'Clyde' [Walt Frazier] came up clutch again and again. As John Starks dunked on [Michael] Jordan and Patrick Ewing dunked on the Pacers. As Bernard King scored 60."Mamdani then named a Knicks legend who's been embroiled in a years-long feud with Dolan, who angered fans by inviting President Donald Trump to Game 3 – the only game they lost in the playoffs – and forced thousands to wait in hours-long security lines and disrupted traffic around Madison Square Garden."As Charles Oakley pulled every rebound within reach," Mamdani said, as Dolan looks on, "and Spike [Lee] got in Reggie Miller's face. As Aaron Houston put up a shot against Miami that hung in the air for an eternity. As Larry Johnson gave us the four-point play heard around New York. As 'Starbury' [Stephon Marbury] traded threes with Kobe [Bryant] and then sold sneakers every kid could afford. As Nate Robinson stuffed Yao Ming. As the city came alive, watching Linsanity [Jeremy Lin]? And Carmelo [Anthon] lived every Brooklyn kid's dreams when he came home and made MSG feel like the center of the universe once again.""We waited without ever knowing if this day would come, and we waited because we knew deep down in our sick, suffering hearts that it would," Mamdani added. "New York City, this team has done it. The New York Knicks are NBA champions."
Vice President JD Vance eviscerated Israeli officials who have criticized President Trump over the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, blasting them for complaining about the document that requires them to stop striking Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on Wednesday said Iran should be able to “defend themselves,” weighing in on the fallout over text in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would allow Tehran to keep its arsenal of ballistic missiles. “I certainly don’t want them to have long-distance missiles. I don’t want them to have nuclear-armed…
Vice President Vance pushed back on Republican criticism of the memorandum of understanding with Iran, as he announced Thursday that the 60-day clock on the next phase of nuclear negotiations is set to start. “So many of what I’ve read or heard that people believe about this is fundamentally untrue,” Vance told reporters. The vice…
