Ben Gvir and JD Vance Trade Barbs Over U.S.-Iran Deal

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded on Thursday to U.S. Vice President JD Vance after Vance criticized Israeli opposition to the Washington-Tehran agreement and asked, "What exactly is your proposal?" Ben Gvir posted in English on social media that his answer was, "This is the proposal, JD Vance: treat the Nazis of the 21st century exactly as the United States treated the Nazis of the 20th century."

The exchange followed Vance’s interview with The New York Times, in which he addressed criticism from Israel over the U.S.-Iran deal. Vance said, "Maybe I missed it, but I don't think Bibi himself really criticized the deal. I think he may know a little bit more about the details of what's in it." He added that "there were people in their political system, like Ben Gvir and Smotrich, who attacked the deal."

Vance then rejected the idea that military force alone could solve the dispute, saying to Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, "What exactly is your proposal? You can't just kill your way out of every national security problem you have." The remarks and Ben Gvir’s reply highlighted a public clash over how to handle the war with Iran and the new agreement between Washington and Tehran.