Lindsey Graham’s voice for Israel has fallen silent - comment

Senator Lindsey Graham, remembered as a "true friend of Israel and a proud American patriot," died at 71. He was a steadfast advocate for Israel, famously stating, "I'll stand with Israel until the day I die. It is our greatest ally." Graham's support for Israel remained unwavering, even when he disagreed with specific proposals, such as ending U.S. military aid.

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I'll stand with Israel until the day I die. It is our greatest ally.

Graham was a prominent hawk on Iran, repeatedly calling for the regime's overthrow and labeling its leaders as "Nazis." He urged President Donald Trump to take a firm stance and was the first to propose a 60-day ultimatum for Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, a proposal Trump adopted before Israel launched its operation.

During Israel's conflict with Hamas, Graham called for an "unconditional surrender" akin to that of Japan and Germany in World War II. He believed Israel must see its fights through to the end against "forces of evil." Simultaneously, he worked to advance regional normalization, shuttling between Riyadh and Jerusalem to broker peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

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There needs to be a surrender like Japan's and Germany's in World War II. An unconditional surrender.

Even after the October 7th attacks, Graham believed a normalization agreement was achievable. He advised that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would not recognize Israel without a better outcome for Palestinians, stating, "There won't be normalization if the Palestinians are thrown under the bus." Graham's approach was to ask Israel to be "open-minded about ending the conflict in a way that guarantees Israel's security and allows MBS to move his region forward."

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Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is not going to recognize Israel until he gets a better outcome for the Palestinians, or he'll get killed. That's the truth. There won't be normalization if the Palestinians are thrown under the bus.

Graham's advocacy for Israel was characterized by genuine friendship and concern. He consistently argued that the U.S. should confront "forces of evil" in the Middle East, rather than retreat, maintaining his steadfast position even as diplomatic efforts with Tehran were pursued.

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I'm not asking Israel to reward terrorism. I'm asking Israel to be open-minded about ending the conflict in a way that guarantees Israel's security and allows MBS to move his region forward.