This visit marks Vance's first to Israel as vice president, arriving just a day after his landing at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday, where he was greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, and Justice Minister Yariv Levin.
The Ohio senator-turned-second-in-command wasted no time, convening immediately with Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, key architects of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire that took effect on October 10, to align on enforcement strategies.
Speaking to reporters at the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat yesterday (Tuesday), Vance projected measured confidence, declaring the truce "durable" and "going better than expected."
He also dismissed suggestions that his trip was a direct response to Hamas' breaking the ceasefire and Israel's military resoonse in Gaza, insisting it was planned to "put some eyes" on negotiations and relay updates to President Donald Trump.
Yet, behind the optimism lies a palpable undercurrent of concern: Multiple U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, expressed fears that Netanyahu might unravel the deal by resuming large-scale operations, prompting Vance's intervention to urge restraint [read: force Israel to comply with America's wishes].
