Vance Declines to Endorse Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election

US Vice-President JD Vance has declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election, saying he will not get involved in Israel’s upcoming vote, a day after President Donald Trump publicly threw his support behind the Israeli leader.

Vance made his position clear during an interview with journalist Mark Halperin on the online programme 2WAY Tonight on Monday, October 19. Asked whether he backed Netanyahu’s re-election bid, Vance praised the influence of Trump’s endorsements but said his own political support was reserved for American candidates as he focused on the US midterm elections in November.

“I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance said, making clear that his response was not an endorsement of Netanyahu’s rivals either. The exchange was reported by the Associated Press and other news organizations on Tuesday. (AP; The Jerusalem Post)

Trump, by contrast, offered Netanyahu what he described as his “Complete and Total Endorsement” in a statement published over the weekend. He praised the Israeli prime minister as a strong partner in confronting Iran and warned that electing another leader could leave the United States shouldering more of the burden. Netanyahu thanked Trump for the support, according to Israeli media reports. (The Jerusalem Post)

The contrast comes just days before Israelis are due to vote on October 27, with Netanyahu seeking another term after years of political turbulence and deep divisions over his leadership. The election is taking place against a backdrop of regional security concerns and continuing debate over Israel’s relationship with Washington, including disagreements within the US political establishment over the direction of Israeli policy.

Vance’s decision not to follow Trump’s lead is notable because the vice-president has previously campaigned abroad for a political ally. Earlier this year, he travelled to Hungary to support then-prime minister Viktor Orbán ahead of the country’s parliamentary election, which Orbán’s party subsequently lost. Vance has therefore shown a willingness to intervene in another country’s electoral contest, although he has said he does not intend to do so in Israel’s case. (Associated Press)

His stance also comes amid scrutiny of his views on Israel and his standing among some Jewish Republicans. Vance has criticized elements of Netanyahu’s government over its approach to the conflict with Iran and its handling of negotiations, while continuing to describe Israel as an ally. He addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition last month in an effort to engage with a constituency for whom US support for Israel remains an important political issue. (The Washington Post)

Vance did not publicly criticize Trump’s endorsement, nor did he argue against Netanyahu’s re-election. Instead, he presented his position as a decision to concentrate on domestic campaigning, as Republicans prepare for November’s midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.

The differing approaches illustrate how support for Israel can remain a shared feature of the US–Israel relationship while prominent American political figures choose different ways to express it. With Netanyahu’s re-election campaign entering its final days and US politicians facing their own electoral pressures, the episode highlights the intersection of foreign policy, domestic politics and the influence American leaders can wield in international political debates.