Vance withholds backing for Netanyahu after Trump’s Israel endorsement

Vice President JD Vance declined to back Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection bid, drawing a contrast with President Donald Trump, who endorsed Netanyahu a day earlier. In an interview published Monday on Mark Halperin’s “2WAY Tonight,” Vance said he focuses on U.S. candidates and would not get involved in Israeli elections ahead of next week’s vote. He added that his stance was not opposition to Netanyahu. Trump had praised Netanyahu on Truth Social as a partner against Iran and urged Israelis to return him to office. Netanyahu responded by thanking Trump for what he called extraordinary support. The election will be Israel’s first national vote since the Hamas attack in late 2023.