Israel has 'many friends' says PM Netanyahu pushing back on US VP Vance's remarks

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected recent comments by U.S. Vice President JD Vance suggesting that Israel is left with only one meaningful global supporter.

Vance had argued last month that Israel’s international backing has narrowed significantly, saying that U.S. President Donald Trump “is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.” He added that he would caution against “attacking the only powerful ally that [Israel has] left in the entire world.”

Netanyahu responded by saying he respects Vance, even if he does not agree with his assessment.

“First of all, I respect JD Vance,” Netanyahu said on the program, "The Sunday Briefing." “We have a very good relationship, but it doesn't mean that I agree with everything that he says.”

The Israeli prime minister emphasized that in his view, Donald Trump remains Israel’s strongest supporter among US presidents.

“And I have to point out this,” Netanyahu said. “Donald Trump is the greatest friend we ever had in the White House and I stand by that completely.”

Netanyahu then pushed back against Vance’s claim that Israel’s support is limited to a single leader or country, pointing to India as an example.

“Secondly, we have some other friends. Like a small country called India, you know it has 1.4 billion people,” he said. “And boy, do we have tremendous support there.”

The prime minister also said his Facebook page has been flooded with messages of support, though he did not identify the countries involved. He added that global leaders continue to seek cooperation with Israel, particularly in the field of technology.

“In many countries, because their media and their social media are inundated with anti-Israel, antisemitic material, many leaders, you know, call me up and say, ‘Hey, look, I’ve got this problem with public opinion, but I want you to know, we respect you, and can we make some deals, and can you teach us some of the things that your military does, and can we have some of your AI and cyber expertise?’”

“You know, Israel is the number two country in cyber in the world, and our technology is so good. So the relations are not quite as they appear, and we have many, many friends,” Netanyahu asserted.

Commenting on differing approaches to Iran policy, Netanyahu said that he and Trump remain aligned in their broader objectives, adding that despite policy disagreements, they are still “set on the same goal.”

“We want to see Iran give up its nuclear weapons program,” Netanyahu said. “We want to see the nuclear-enriched material removed. We want to see the enrichment sites for nuclear material dismantled. We have other common objectives.”

Netanyahu said he respects the U.S. president’s diplomatic efforts with the Islamic Republic.

“President Trump believes that after the battering that the two of us – Israel and the United States – gave to Iran, he thinks that he can generate enough leeway, enough pressure, through the negotiations to get these goals achieved. And, you know, we respect that, and I hope he succeeds,” Netanyahu stated, adding, “I can tell you this: Deal or no deal, as long as I’m prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”