JD Vance, a great friend of Israel

J.D. Vance, the young senator from Ohio who was chosen as Trump's running mate in the presidential election, tends to have an isolationist stance on everything related to foreign policy. In fact, he is strongly opposed to sending aid to Ukraine. However, he takes a different view on assistance to Israel in its war against Hamas, which he considers vitally important.

In a speech given recently at the Quincy Institute, Vance said, "I’m supportive of Israel and their war against Hamas." He added: "I certainly admire the Ukrainians who are fighting against Russia, but I do not think that it is in America's interest to continue to fund an effectively never-ending war in Ukraine."

Vance argued that it is important to analyze the cases of Israel and Ukraine separately, as they are not the same.

Vance traveled to Israel in 2022, where among other places he visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

Following the Oct. 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas in southern Israel, the Republican vice presidential candidate blamed the Biden administration for strengthening the Palestinian terrorist organization. 

"As we watch this horrible situation in Israel unfold, Americans must face a stark truth: our tax dollars funded this," he said. He added: "Many of the dollars we sent to Iran are being used to now kill innocent people. This must stop. Israel has every right to defend itself. I wish our friends well, but most of all I wish they weren’t fighting against weapons bought with our money."

While Vance was one of 15 Republican senators who helped push the aid package to Israel months behind schedule, he did not do so to oppose the Jewish state, but rather his decision was related to his refusal to send assistance to Ukraine, as Biden had lumped both of the aid packages together.

Vance even opined on internal Israeli affairs and expressed his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government when Israel's population was extremely divided over the ruling party's proposed judicial reform. 

"The people who say they love democracy are actively pressuring Israel to give up their democracy to judicial supremacy. Almost all of the ‘democracy’ worship in Washington is from elites who hate when the people dare to disagree with them," he said.

Speaking to Fox News in his first interview after being named the vice presidential candidate, Vance referred to the war in Gaza, stating that Israel needs to end the war "as quickly as possible, because the longer it goes on the harder [Israel’s] situation becomes." He added that Biden has made "harder and harder” for Israel to vanquish Hamas.

Vance further noted that after the war, the peace process between Israel and Saudi Arabia must be revitalized. And he added that it is necessary for the Jewish state and Sunni Arab countries to work together to counter Iran.

Previously, in an interview with CNN in May of this year, Vance called for allowing the Israelis to handle the war as "the way they see fit." He also held Hamas responsible for the damage the war is causing the Palestinians.