Vance to Israeli critics: "Wake up and smell the reality"

Vice President JD Vance pushed back Thursday on Israeli critics of the Iran deal, noting the U.S. was Israel's only remaining powerful ally.

"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," he told reporters at a briefing.

"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."

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were aligned when launching the war on Feb. 28, but have since grown apart as their war objectives diverge.

Israeli officials, who wanted the war to continue, have reportedly expressed "deep concern" about the deal, according to Axios. Prime Minister Netanyahu has remained silent since the memorandum of understanding was made public on Wednesday.

Vice President Vance pointed out that two-thirds of Israel's defensive weapons were built and paid for by the U.S. and that the country's problem "is not Donald Trump."

"Anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation in that country," he said.

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