Vance says he's not in Israel to monitor Gaza ceasefire like a toddler

Vice President JD Vance stressed Wednesday that U.S. officials were not seeking to babysit the Gaza ceasefire and that Israel was a partner, not a "vassal state," as questions rose over the next steps in the Middle East

Vice President JD Vance stressed Wednesday that U.S. officials were not seeking to babysit the Gaza ceasefire and that Israel was a partner, not a "vassal state," as questions rose over the next steps in the Middle East.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has hosted a string of senior American officials in recent days, declared in a statement prior to the meeting that his country was “not a protectorate of the United States” and would “decide on its security,” according to the Associated Press news agency.

The pair exchanged words of friendship and optimism at their joint news conference in Jerusalem as Washington worked to ensure the truce brokered by president Donald Trump will hold, while also addressing concerns over what its role in those efforts would be.

"I never said it was easy, but what I am is optimistic that the ceasefire is going to hold and that we can actually build a better future in the entire Middle East," said Vance, speaking alongside Netanyahu.

The vice president's visit followed the arrival of Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to follow Thursday and meet with Netanyahu on Friday, the Israeli government said.