From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 7, 2024
Meeting Netanyahu, Sen. Lindsey Graham says French have it ‘ass backwards’ on war
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham says, “To my friends in France, you’ve got this ass backwards.”
French President Emmanuel Macron called last week for an arms embargo on Israel, leading to outrage from Netanyahu. The two leaders later spoke on the phone in an attempt to smooth things over.
“You should be doubling down on helping Israel,” Graham continues, “because the people that want to destroy Israel also want to destroy the French people.”
Turning to Netanyahu, Graham says, “You’re fighting our fight. We’re going to help you with your military needs.”
“The Twin Towers fell not because of a hurricane, [but] because radical Islamist terrorists killed 3,000 of us on a single day,” he says, referring to the 9/11 attacks. “And they would kill all of us if they could. If Iran ever got a nuclear weapon, they would use it. The question would be who would they use it against first. Me? You? Saudi Arabia? We can never let that happen. So we’re going to help you.”
Referring to Israel’s fight against Hezbollah and its campaign to make the north safe for its displaced residents, Graham says, “Whatever it takes to get your people back in their homes, you do it.”
“We’re here to say we have Israel’s back and Israel has the right to defend itself,” says Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
“We’re fighting like lions with the support of the American government and the American people, and its representatives here,” says Netanyahu. “I want to thank you both for your stellar support for Israel throughout the war.”
