Analysis: Vance’s threat is the latest sign US could be breaking with Israel | CNN Politics

The United States joining with Israel to launch a war in the Middle East was always a fraught situation for the longstanding US-Israeli alliance. But things seemed to come to a head Thursday, when Vice President JD Vance had some blunt and harsh words for Israel — words that sounded a whole lot like a threat. It was the culmination of days of warning signs from the Trump administration, which clearly fears Israel might scupper a US agreement with Iran that many view as way too favorable to the Iranians. Israel and Hezbollah agreed to renew a ceasefire on Friday, sources told CNN, after fighting between the Israeli military and the Iran-backed militant group again jeopardized US-Iran negotiations. The break seemed inevitable, for several reasons: Now, the administration is practically yelling: You guys should take what we’ve given you and be happy, or else. Whether the US ever gets to the “or else” part remains to be seen. But it’s remarkable that even the Republican Party seems to be increasingly approaching a breaking point with Israel. Vance’s remarks, in which he pointed to Israel’s worldwide unpopularity, were the most striking. “Donald J. Trump is the only head