Following his nomination as the Republican vice presidential candidate on Monday, Ohio Senator JD Vance immediately accused President Joe Biden of exacerbating the conflict between Israel and Hamas, claiming Biden’s policies were prolonging the war and hindering Israeli-Saudi relations.

Vance, a freshman senator, asserted that a swift victory for Israel in Gaza is essential for forming a unified front against Iran. “Israel should win and end the war in Gaza as quickly as possible to enable the Israelis and the Sunni Arab states to form a united front against Iran,” Vance stated.

Former President Donald Trump, officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate at the convention in Milwaukee, announced Vance as his running mate, solidifying Trump’s influence within the party. Trump’s choice of Vance, a former critic turned loyalist, was seen as a move away from traditional conservatism toward a more populist stance.

In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Vance echoed sentiments that Biden had “surrendered the war on terrorism” by not adequately supporting Israel against Hamas. “What Biden has done is the worst of all possible worlds,” Vance said. “He has prolonged the war, Israel’s war to actually take out Hamas, but in the process, he’s made it harder for us to really move towards a sustainable peace.”

Vance emphasized the need for a quick resolution to the conflict and the revival of peace initiatives between Israel and Sunni Arab states. Highlighting the significance of the Abraham Accords, Vance remarked, “Maybe the most important diplomatic issue of the Trump administration was the Abraham Accords,” referring to the 2020 normalization agreements brokered between Israel and several Arab nations.

Criticizing Biden’s approach, Vance underscored the importance of a strong stance against Iran. “A lot of people recognize that we need to do something with Iran, but not these weak little bombing runs,” he said. Vance praised Trump’s decisive action in ordering the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, in 2020, arguing it brought peace by checking Iranian aggression.

Vance also took aim at Biden’s energy policies, claiming they undermined American energy independence. “We’re sitting on the Saudi Arabia of natural gas in Ohio and Pennsylvania,” Vance asserted. “Joe Biden would rather buy this stuff from Iran than buy it from Pennsylvania workers.” However, it remains unclear what Vance referred to, as the US does not purchase oil from Iran and maintains sanctions against significant petroleum trade with the country.

On the issue of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Vance reiterated his opposition to further US support for Kyiv, aligning with Trump’s “America First” policy. “I think what President Trump has promised to do is to go in there, negotiate with the Russians and the Ukrainians, bring this thing to a rapid close so that America can focus on the real issue, which is China,” Vance told Fox News.

Vance’s isolationist stance on Ukraine does not extend to Israel, which he described as a crucial ally for the US, particularly in defense. “Israel is one of the most dynamic, certainly on a per capita basis, one of the most dynamic and technologically advanced countries in the world,” Vance said, highlighting the collaboration on missile defense technology.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)