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Vance lands in Israel as US said to fear Netanyahu could collapse Gaza ceasefire

39 9
yesterday

US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday as part of efforts to advance and bolster the Gaza ceasefire, amid reports that Washington is concerned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could collapse the truce and return to war.

Vance, who is traveling with Second Lady Usha Vance, was greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Israel’s envoy to the US Yechiel Leiter, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.

He then held a working lunch with the White House’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, Vance’s office said.

Vance then headed to southern Israel to the Kiryat Gat area headquarters of the emerging US-international task force that will oversee the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire.

Vance was set to hold a press conference at 6 p.m. at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, according to the White House.

On Wednesday, he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem.

The Trump administration has redoubled its efforts to cement the fragile Gaza peace agreement it helped to broker, after Israel accused Hamas of stalling its handover of hostages’ bodies and deadly violence flared up in the territory over the weekend.

Vance’s arrival comes a day after US special envoy Steve Witkoff and top White House adviser Jared Kushner also arrived for talks about the ceasefire.

The Israel Police mounted a large-scale security operation for Vance that was expected to cause widespread traffic chaos due to road closures ahead of Vance’s arrival in Israel and during his stay.

From 1 p.m., Route 1 — the main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv — was shut to motorists eastbound from the Ganot interchange. Route 6 — the main north-south highway — was closed southbound between the Daniel interchange and the Kiryat Gat junction.

Additionally, Route 35 was blocked westbound from the Kiryat Gat interchange to the Kiryat Gat Industrial Zone.

The entrance to Jerusalem was to be blocked from 3 p.m. Inside the capital at the same time, police were to close the Shazar Tunnel, Ben Tzvi Boulevard, Aza Street, Agron Street, Paris Square,........

© The Times of Israel