JERUSALEM, Israel – Vice President JD Vance wraps up his three-day visit to Israel on Thursday, just hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to arrive for meetings with Israeli leaders.
Police escorted Vance and his wife, Usha, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, where the couple toured the place where many believe Jesus was crucified.
One city resident, Shmuel Kay, expressed thanks from Israelis and the Jewish people.
"I think it's very nice for the Israelis to have the American support, and we appreciate the president (Donald Trump) and the vice president's (JD Vance) support of Israel and the Jewish people."
Following a meeting with Vance on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was touched by his visit, according to Israeli Government Spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu said he was impressed with the vice president's clarity, sharpness, solidarity for our common cause and sincere friendship that he saw in conference and private meetings that took place today," Bedrosian remarked. She added, "I can also add they discussed in depth about the Gaza Strip and how they can see the plan progressing in the near future."
One sticking point is the suggestion that Turkish troops be allowed into Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, the same organization that founded Hamas.
When asked about Turkey, Netanyahu quoted Vance from the previous day.
Netanyahu observed jokingly that Vance had said the prime minister has strong opinions on the idea of Turkish troops in Gaza. “So, I have very strong opinions on that,” Netanyahu stated. “You want to guess what they are?”
Vance gave Netanyahu space to disagree.
"We don't want in Israel, we don't want a vassal state and that is not what Israel is. We don't want a client state and that is not what Israel is. We want a partnership, we want an ally here," Vance noted.
US-Israeli analyst Elie Pieprz, of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, told CBN News that if Israel sees its national security is threatened in Gaza by Qatar or Turkey, Israel will act.
"This is going to be the opportunity where, if Qatar and Turkey are going to be acting and are going to be trying to rehabilitate – are going to protect Hamas instead of disarming Hamas – Israel is going to be very, very quick to act," Pieprz predictted. "If Israel acted in Doha a few weeks ago, Israel can act in Gaza, even if there are Qatari or Turkish elements."
Pieprz believes Turkey and Qatar value their relations with the U.S. over their relations with Hamas.
"And that, I think, is a fundamental, feature of this agreement. And if there's going to be friction between those countries and Israel, it will also mean there'll be friction between those countries and the US. And I don't think Turkey and Qatar want that friction with the U.S.," he said.
Shortly after Vance leaves, Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives, signaling a near-continuous presence of U.S. officials to signal how closely they're monitoring the situation. Rubio is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Friday.
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Ahead of Rubio's visit, the Israeli Knesset approved a bill in its first reading to extend Israeli sovereignty over Jewish communities in biblical Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.
The vote appeared to be an opposition political move to embarrass the government, and most of Netanyahu's Likud Party was absent and had instructions not to vote for the bill that they would normally support.
A separate bill overwhelmingly approved such sovereignty for the community of Ma'ale Adumim, less than five miles outside Jerusalem.
At the airport in the U.S., Rubio said such a move could endanger the peace process..
"That's a vote in the Knesset, but obviously, I think the president's made clear that's not something we'd be supportive of right now, and we think it's potent... even threatening to the peace deal," Rubio said.
Meanwhile, the funeral of returned deceased hostage Tal Haimi took place in his home of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, where he was mortally wounded defending his community on October 7, 2023. Also,Thai hostage Sonthaya Oakkharasri was honored prior to sending his body home for burial.
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