Vice President JD Vance visit Israel to bolster fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas

(CBS, KYMA) - Vice President JD Vance is leading a group of top U.S. officials who are in Israel this week as they work to bolster the fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Vice President Vance met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv Wednesday.

In response to a reporter's question, both the vice president and the prime minister said the U.S. and Israel are allies and partners in their efforts in the region.

"We don't want in Israel, we don't want a vassal state and that's not what Israel is. We don't want a client state and that's not what Israel is. We want a partnership. We want an ally here," Vance expressed.

"I want to put it very clearly, you know, one week they say that Israel controls the United States, a week later they way the United States controls Israel. This is hogwash. We have a partnership," Netanyahu added.

A senior State Department official confirms to CBS News U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will return to Israel next week.

An Israeli spokesperson says he will meet with Netanyahu Friday.