U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham arrived in Israel for talks with officials. Graham, a close ally of president-elect Donald Trump, plans to travel to Saudi Arabia later as part of his tour of the region.
The senator, who touched down in Israel over the weekend, hopes to restart negotiations for a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel that has stalled after the October 7 massacre and the ensuing war, even before Trump takes office, to ensure a two-thirds Senate majority to pass the U.S.-Saudi defense pact.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
(Photo: Nathan Howard / Reuters)
Graham met with former defense minister Yoav Gallant and the two discussed the threat from Iran and normalization with Riyadh. "It was an important meeting," Gallant said. "Lindsey Gram is a true friend and avid supporter of Israel who invests many efforts to strengthen Israel's regional position and bolster its security amid threats primarily from Iran. We discussed the vital need to use the short window of opportunity that has opened for forging agreements that would strengthen Israel and weaken Iran and help reach a path that will enable the return of the hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza."
Graham met earlier with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Expressing his concern about Iran's breakthrough to nuclear capability, Graham told the prime minister: "Do whatever you must to prevent the Iranian ayatollahs from obtaining nuclear weapons," the Prime Minister's office (PMO) reported after the meeting.
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In Graham's view "an Iranian ayatollah armed with nuclear weapons is an existential threat to Israel and a nightmare for the world. They consistently refer to the United States as the 'big Satan.' It is in the interest of the U.S. to ensure the Iranian regime does not possess nuclear weapons. This is a critical and dangerous time for our friends in Israel and in the entire world. It is vital for the United States to be seen and heard having Israel's back amid the threats from Iran."
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