Scoop: Vance decided against Israel visit due to new Israeli operation in Gaza
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Vance (R) in the Oval Office with Netanyahu and Trump. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty
Vice President JD Vance considered traveling to Israel on Tuesday but decided against it due to the expansion of Israel's military operation in Gaza, a senior U.S. official told Axios.
Why it matters: The U.S. official said Vance made the decision because he didn't want his trip to suggest the Trump administration endorsed the Israeli decision to launch a massive operation at a time when the U.S. is pushing for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
Between the lines: This isn't about publicly pressuring Israel. Vance officially cited "logistical" reasons for passing on the visit.
- But his decision sheds light on how the U.S. feels about the current Israeli policy in Gaza.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to sign any agreement that would end the war, and has show little flexibility in negotiations despite the urgent efforts of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to make a deal and stave off the Israeli operation.
Driving the news: On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces began mobilizing troops for operation "Gideon's Chariots," which calls for Israel to displace all 2 million Palestinians in Gaza to a "humanitarian zone" and flatten most of the enclave.
- On Sunday, the IDF announced the ground operation was underway in multiple areas of the Gaza Strip.
Behind the scenes: On Saturday, the Trump administration informed the Israeli government that Vance was considering stopping in Israel after attending the pope's inauguration, Israeli officials say.
- Additional discussions took place on Sunday between U.S. and Israeli officials to prepare for Vance's visit. Reports soon popped up in the Israeli press that Vance might arrive on Tuesday.
- Several hours later, a White House official denied the reports in a statement to reporters traveling with the VP. "While the Secret Service has engaged in contingency planning for the addition of several potential countries, no additional visits were at any point decided upon, and logistical constraints have precluded an extension of his travel beyond Rome. He will return to Washington on Monday."
- The VP's office declined to comment for this story beyond that statement.
The intrigue: A U.S. official with knowledge of what actually happened during those several hours told Axios logistics weren't the issue.
- While Vance was deliberating, concerns were raised that a trip to Israel at this time would be perceived by Israel and countries in the region as validation for Israel's expanded operation.
- At that point, Vance decided not to go.
- A senior Israeli official told Axios that as of Saturday, Vance and his team thought a hostage and ceasefire deal was imminent and thus the timing would be good for a visit, but when it became clear the next day a deal was unlikely they decided not to travel to Israel.
Update: In a briefing with reporters on Monday, Vance insisted the reason he didn't travel to Israel was "logistics" and said he would visit Israel "sometime in the future."
State of play: The Trump administration is trying to cut a deal to halt the operation, release more hostages, and allow aid in to prevent starvation and a deeper humanitarian catastrophe.
- Under pressure from the Trump administration and European allies, the Israeli Security Cabinet decided Sunday to immediately resume the transfer of aid to Gaza through existing channels until a new humanitarian mechanism is operational.
- Witkoff gave Israel and Hamas an updated proposal last week for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal and is pressing the parties to accept it, Axios reported on Sunday.
This story was updated with new comments from Vance and from a senior Israeli official.
