Washington: US Vice President JD Vance has canceled his planned visit to Israel due to concerns that his presence might be perceived as an endorsement of Israel's intensified military operations in Gaza. According to Anadolu Agency - English, Vance decided to scrap the proposed visit after his trip to Rome, driven by apprehensions that it might signal Washington's support for Israel's decision to escalate its military campaign while the US is actively pursuing a ceasefire agreement.
The Trump administration had initially informed Israeli officials about Vance's potential visit following his attendance at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration. However, despite official statements from the White House citing "logistical constraints" as the reason for the cancellation, a US official revealed to Axios that the actual concerns were not logistical. The fear was that the trip could be misconstrued by Israel and its neighboring countries as an endorsement of Israel's intensified offensive in Gaza.
Vice President Vance, addressing reporters before departing for the US, emphasized that he had not seen the report and maintained that the decision was indeed due to logistical challenges. He mentioned that while they had contemplated visiting Israel and other countries in the future, practical issues such as childcare and coordinating security made the trip impractical at this time.
In a related development, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also canceled his planned trip to Israel, opting instead to accompany President Donald Trump on his Middle East visit. These diplomatic changes occur as Israel launched "Operation Gideon's Chariots," a broad ground offensive in Gaza involving both standing and reserve forces.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with Israel blocking humanitarian aid since March 2, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The military campaign has reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 53,000 Palestinians since October 2023. Additionally, Israel faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.