'Impossible to replace': Israel's deputy FM on the death of Lindsey Graham

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel stated that the death of US Senator Lindsey Graham represents a profound loss for the nation. Graham, 71, passed away suddenly on Saturday evening after a brief illness, prompting swift tributes from Israeli leadership.

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We lost a real friend. It would be very, very difficult to describe the friendship and the deep relationship and the commitment and the love that Senator Lindsey Graham had towards Israel. We owe a great debt to him.

Prime Minister Netanyahu called Graham "one of Israel's greatest friends," while President Herzog referred to him as a "true friend." Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar described him as "the best senator and the best friend." Haskel elaborated on this sentiment in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, calling Graham "a real friend" and stating, "We owe a great debt to him."

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First and foremost, his love and dedication was to America and the American people. He simply understood, she said, that American strength meant keeping allies upright where they were already fighting America's enemies, so that those enemies never reached American soil.

Haskel highlighted Graham's dedication to America and its people, explaining that he understood American strength involved supporting allies fighting against America's adversaries. She repeatedly invoked the phrase "moral clarity," asserting that Graham consistently stood for what he believed was right, regardless of the political cost. His advocacy for Israel included co-authoring the Taylor Force Act and strongly supporting Israel's campaign against Iran.

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Whatever the political price, she said, 'he would always stand by what's right.'

Graham's death occurs during a tense period marked by a fraying Iran ceasefire and renewed American strikes. Haskel acknowledged the significance of his absence, particularly in complex situations requiring clear voices. "The vacuum of such a clear and strong voice, fearless voice, would be very, very missed," she stated, though she stopped short of predicting a shift in American policy, suggesting that while things might not necessarily change, the loss of his influential presence is deeply felt.

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I don't know if it's changed. But in many difficult situations where there's so much pressure and so much danger, it is so important to have these people who set the record straight, who no matter how much pressure there is, they know what's right... and they're not afraid to say it out loud. That's very rare.