American lawmakers and academics sharply criticized Vice President J.D. Vance after he attacked Israel in a White House briefing. The backlash centered on remarks he made Thursday, when he accused Israel of bombing Lebanon indiscriminately and said civilian deaths in Beirut were unacceptable while Washington is trying to reach a deal.
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott defended Israel as America’s strongest partner in the Middle East. He said Iran wants to wipe both countries off the map, but that would never happen because the two sides would always stand together. Scott added that unconditional American support for Israel’s defense makes the America First agenda stronger and the world safer.
New York University professor Jeffrey Lax, a prominent Jewish communal activist, was even harsher. He called Vance’s accusation that Israel was attacking civilian population centers in Beirut the most disgusting part of the briefing, saying “every honest person in the world” knows the opposite is true. Lax concluded, “This man cannot be our next president.”
Masoud “the Green Prince” Hassan Yousef, who lives in the United States, also weighed in, saying Israel is not a dependency but a sovereign, independent, and strong state. He argued that Israel has made major contributions to technology, medicine, cybersecurity, and U.S. defense, and warned that turning against one of America’s most loyal and capable allies would be self-defeating. Vance responded that if he were an Israeli minister, he would not attack Israel’s only ally in the world, and claimed that two-thirds of the weapons used to defend Israel were developed and funded by American taxpayers. He also said President Donald Trump is not blocking Israel’s right to self-defense and that Israeli leaders must respect the peace process.
