US Vice President JD Vance decided against a mooted trip to Israel this week due to the renewed offensive in Gaza, according to a new report from Axios.
Quoting a “senior US official”, the outlet suggested that Vance, a strict Catholic, had been planning to stop off in Jerusalem after attending the new Pope’s inaugural mass over the weekend.
The proposed visit was first reported by Channel 12, citing Israeli officials, which said that the White House was “coordinating meetings with Israel’s top brass”.
Channel 12 chief political analyst Amit Segal added: “Israel sees the visit as important, due to Vance’s affiliation with the isolationist wing of the administration and also as a signal to the region that relations between the US and Israel are still stable and strong.”
But the suggestion of a visit was quickly denied by a Trump administration spokesperson, who said that Vance had to return to the US directly after the mass for logistical reasons.
However, Axios now suggests that this was not actually the case, with Vance reportedly considering the trip before deciding against it.
He reportedly came to the decision after concerns were raised that his presence “would be perceived by Israel and countries in the region as validation for Israel's expanded operation”.
If that is the case, the move would seemingly reflect growing frustration in Washington over Israel’s approach to the Gaza War.
Hebrew media reports suggest that concern is growing in Jerusalem that President Trump is willing to conduct Middle East policy unilaterally, such as in the case of former hostage Edan Alexander’s release and the lifting of sanctions on Syria – both decisions reportedly made without consulting Israel.
In return, the White House is reported to be “fed up” with Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to allow a ceasefire deal to progress unless it leads to the total surrender of Hamas and “demilitarisation” of Gaza. Supporters of the Prime Minister praise his determination to achieve Israel’s war goals, but critics suggest his unwillingness to compromise drags out the conflict and endangers the remaining hostages.
US pressure is also understood to have been key in the decision to allow some humanitarian aid back into Gaza, with Washington reportedly promising to lean on its ally as part of the deal with Hamas that released Alexander.
Ceasefire talks are ongoing in Qatar, but the country’s prime minister just this morning suggested that they had stalled due to “fundamental differences” between the two sides, while Netanyahu is said to be considering pulling the Israeli delegation out.
"One party is looking for a partial deal that might… lead to a comprehensive deal, and the other party is looking just for a one-off deal… and to end the war and to get all the hostages out,” said Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, without specifying which statement applied to Israel.
He concluded: “We couldn’t bridge this fundamental gap.”
