Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described India as one of Israel’s strongest supporters, rejecting a recent remark by US Vice President JD Vance suggesting that Israel should avoid criticising its “only powerful ally”, the United States.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel enjoys broad support from India while reaffirming his close relationship with US President Donald Trump. His comments come amid reports of differences between Washington and Tel Aviv over Iran and wider regional security issues.

Netanyahu Highlights India’s Support

Responding to Vance’s earlier remarks, Netanyahu said he respected the US Vice President but did not necessarily agree with all of his views.

“I respect JD Vance, and we have a very good relationship, but it doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he says. Donald Trump is the greatest friend we ever had in the White House, and I stand by that completely,” Netanyahu said.

He then cited India as an example of Israel’s international support.

“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. You know, I have this Facebook thing, and I’m just flooded by the overwhelming support there,” he said.

Israel Enjoys Global Backing, Says Netanyahu

Netanyahu also said Israel continues to receive support from several countries despite criticism on social media and in parts of the international media.

According to him, many world leaders privately express support for Israel and seek cooperation in areas such as defence, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

“Many leaders call me up and say, ‘Hey look, I’ve got this problem with public opinion, but I want you to know we respect you, and can we make some deals, and can you teach us some of the things that your military does, and can we have some of your AI and cyber expertise?’” Netanyahu said.

He added that Israel remains a global leader in technology. “You know Israel is the number two country in cyber in the world, and our technology is so good. So the relations are not quite as they appear, and we have many, many friends,” he said.

Remarks Follow Vance’s Comments On US-Israel Relations

Netanyahu’s remarks were made in response to comments by Vance last month during a White House briefing, when the US Vice President urged Israel to exercise restraint amid ongoing US-Iran diplomatic efforts.

“If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance had said while responding to reports that Israeli leaders were unhappy with the US-Iran agreement and had criticised Trump.

Trump, Netanyahu Expected To Meet In Washington

Meanwhile, according to an Axios report, Trump said Netanyahu had requested a meeting at the White House after the US President returns from the NATO summit.

Trump said the two leaders agreed to meet soon after speaking by phone, although Israeli officials indicated the visit could take place the following week because of the President’s travel schedule.

The proposed meeting comes amid reported differences between Trump and Netanyahu over Iran, Lebanon and broader regional security issues. Despite those differences, both leaders have agreed to hold talks in Washington as Israel prepares for its October elections.

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