U.S. Vice President JD Vance blasted the Knesset’s sovereignty vote over Judea and Samaria, calling it “a weird and insulting political stunt.”
In a striking rebuke, U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Israel’s Knesset vote to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, describing it as “weird” and “confusing.” Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force Two as he departed Israel, Vance admitted he was told the move was “symbolic” and “a political stunt,” adding sharply, “If it was a political stunt, then it was a stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it.”
While Vance reaffirmed that the Trump administration’s official stance remains that “the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel,” his words have ignited heated debate both in Washington and Jerusalem. Israeli lawmakers who supported the measure emphasized that it was not a “stunt,” but rather a legitimate declaration of Israel’s historic and biblical right to its heartland—Judea and Samaria.
The vote, largely symbolic, reflects the growing confidence within Israel’s leadership to assert sovereignty over territories deeply rooted in Jewish history, despite international hesitation. Analysts suggest that Vance’s unusually sharp tone reveals U.S. frustration at a moment when Israeli policymakers are testing diplomatic limits to secure long-term national sovereignty.
