Tel Aviv, Israel: U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday sought to reassure Israel that the Trump administration was not dictating terms to its key Middle Eastern ally, as he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv to reaffirm Washington’s support for the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

“We don’t want in Israel a vassal state, and that’s not what Israel is. We want a partnership, we want an ally,” Vance said alongside Netanyahu when asked if Israel was becoming a “protectorate” of the United States.

Netanyahu echoed the sentiment, dismissing suggestions of either country controlling the other.

“One week they say that Israel controls the United States. A week later they say the United States controls Israel. This is hogwash,” Netanyahu said. “We have a partnership, an alliance of partners who share common values, common goals.”

The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to sustain the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, now less than two weeks old. Israeli officials have expressed concern that the agreement’s second phase — which envisions an international security force in Gaza — could restrict the Israeli military’s ability to respond to threats.

Vance acknowledged the challenges ahead but voiced optimism about the peace process.

“We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza to make life better for the people in Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel,” he said. “That’s not easy. There’s a lot of work to do, but I feel very optimistic about where we are.”

During his visit, Vance also met relatives of Israeli hostages, accompanied by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Wednesday that Israel must allow the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, to resume operations in Gaza.

“Israel is under the obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA,” ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa said.

Israel has denied violating international law and boycotted April’s ICJ hearings, calling the proceedings biased. Netanyahu and other officials have repeatedly accused UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas.

As uncertainty continues over Gaza’s postwar governance and Hamas’ disarmament, Vance said U.S. officials are consulting partners about the makeup of the proposed international security force, mentioning Turkey and Indonesia as likely contributors, alongside Germany, Denmark, and Jordan. It remains unclear whether Israel would permit Turkish participation, given strained bilateral ties in recent years.