Netanyahu pushes back on Vance: ‘We have many, many friends’

International Netanyahu pushes back on Vance: ‘We have many, many friends’ Comments: by Ryan Mancini - 07/06/26 3:02 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ryan Mancini - 07/06/26 3:02 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing back on Vice President Vance’s warning to Israeli officials over criticizing the Trump administration’s peace deal with Iran, saying “we have many, many friends.”

Vance said last month that if “I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.” Netanyahu was asked about the remark in an interview with Fox News anchor Jacqui Heinrich on “The Sunday Briefing.”

“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?'” Netanyahu replied. “You know, Israel is the No. 2 country in cyber in the world, and our technology is –– it’s so good. So, the relations are not quite as they appear, and we have many, many friends.”

Netanyahu said he respects the vice president and that they have a “very good relationship, but it doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he says.”

“And I have to point this out: Donald Trump is a great friend, the greatest friend we’ve ever had in the White House, and I stand by that completely,” the prime minister said.

He added that Israel has “other friends like the small country of India,” and that he has “this Facebook thing” before he laughed.

“I’m just flooded by the overwhelming support there,” Netanyahu said. “And we have many others.”

Vance had been responding to questions during a White House briefing where he was asked about an Axios report suggesting Netanyahu was “fuming” over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the U.S. and Iran.

The vice president said the report did not reflect conversations he had with Netanyahu but added that “maybe he’s saying something to somebody else that he’s not saying to me.”

Clashes between President Trump and Netanyahu came to light after the MOU was signed, with Trump cursing the prime minister for continuing his strikes on Lebanon, which Trump said threatened the deal with Iran. Netanyahu said he will put Israel’s security first, and that he and Trump do not always see “eye to eye.”

Iran has maintained that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is a key component of the MOU.

Last month, Netanyahu said his military has “no restrictions” in targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, putting a strain on the fragile ceasefire that has already seen some flare-ups between the U.S. and Iran. Attacks carried out by the Israel Defense Forces on Beirut’s southern suburbs have killed dozens, including civilians.