Netanyahu Counters JD Vance, Cites 'Tremendous Support' From India Amid US Rift

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered US Vice President JD Vance's claim that the US is Israel's 'only powerful ally' by highlighting 'tremendous' support from India.

"We have some other friends, like a small country called India, you know, it has 1.4 billion people and, boy, do we have tremendous support there," Netanyahu told Fox News.

Netanyahu pointed to immense backing from India on social media. "You know, I have this Facebook thing, and I have overwhelming support there. I may have many others," Netanyahu added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel on a state visit in February 2026. Modi declared that India stood "firmly with full conviction" with Israel. Earlier this year, Netanyahu referred to his Indian counterpart as a "personal friend" and called India a "global power". This visit occurred two days before the US and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran.

Vance Defends US Aid

Vance rebuked Israel following reports of Israeli cabinet criticism regarding President Donald Trump's deal to end the Iran war.

"Donald Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time," Vance said. "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have left, anywhere in the entire world."

Vance said most weapons protecting Israel for the past three months were US-made and American taxpayers funded them.

Netanyahu responded to Fox News that while he holds Vance in high regard, he does not agree with everything he says. Other nations seek Israel's military, AI and cyber expertise, Netanyahu added, saying countries ask: "Can you teach us some of the things that your military does, and can we have some of your AI and cyber expertise?"

Rift Over Iran Peace

The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which the US and Iran signed in June 2026, established an extendable 60-day ceasefire and the dilution of Iran's enriched uranium, reported The Guardian. The deal included reopening the Strait of Hormuz to toll-free transit, unfreezing $6bn in Iranian assets and creating a projected $300bn reconstruction fund.

Netanyahu's cabinet officially rejected the MoU's Lebanon provisions requiring an IDF withdrawal. Led by Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, the cabinet rejected Article 1 and vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Trump referred to Netanyahu as "f**king crazy" and ungrateful, Axios reported. This friction emerged as Israel continued to pound Hezbollah targets in Lebanon during the US-Iran peace talks.

"We get along very good. [Netanyahu] knows who the boss is," Trump told Axios in a brief phone interview.