Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and senior Israeli officials paid tribute Sunday to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, remembering him as one of Israel’s strongest allies in Washington and a leading defender of the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel.
Graham, the longtime South Carolina senator and prominent foreign policy hawk, died Saturday evening at the age of 71 following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” His family asked for prayers and privacy.
NBC News reported that emergency personnel responded Saturday night to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s Capitol Hill home, citing police scanner audio obtained by the network. Photographs reviewed by NBC showed paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from the residence to an ambulance, with police cars and fire trucks also at the scene.
Netanyahu said he and his wife, Sara, were grieving with the American people over the loss of “our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham.”
Recalling their most recent meeting, Netanyahu said he had told Graham: “Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey.”
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable,” Netanyahu said. “He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.”
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” he added. “May his values and initiatives continue to guide us toward victory and peace, and may his memory forever be a blessing.”
Trump described Graham as “one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known.”
(Photo: AFP)
“He was always working, and was a true American patriot,” Trump said. “Lindsey will be greatly missed. So sad.”
President Isaac Herzog said he was “shocked and heartbroken” by Graham’s sudden death, calling him “a great American patriot, a great friend of Israel and my dear friend.”
“Senator Graham was a beacon of moral clarity and a true leader of the U.S.-Israel partnership,” Herzog said. “We will never forget how he stood by the people of Israel in our most difficult moments, and we will remain eternally grateful for his sense of justice, truth and loyalty.”
“The people of Israel mourn his loss, and I will miss my great friend very dearly,” Herzog added.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett also mourned Graham, calling him a close friend and one of Israel’s strongest supporters.
“I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of my friend Senator Lindsey Graham,” Bennett wrote on X. “America has lost a devoted patriot, and Israel has lost one of its greatest friends.”
“Lindsey stood with Israel through our darkest hours, with courage,” he added. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz described Graham as “a true friend of the State of Israel and one of its strongest and most steadfast supporters.”
“Throughout the years, Senator Graham stood with Israel in its most difficult moments, worked tirelessly to strengthen the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States, and was an unwavering voice in support of Israel’s security and its right to defend itself,” Katz said.
Katz highlighted Graham’s repeated visits to Israel following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attack, saying the senator stood “shoulder to shoulder with our people in an extraordinary demonstration of solidarity and unwavering friendship.”
“I had the privilege of knowing Lindsey personally and valued his friendship greatly,” Katz said. “He was an exceptional leader, a man of principle and a dear friend whose legacy will endure for generations.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he was “shocked and saddened” by the sudden death of his friend, Sen. Lindsey Graham.
“I always called him ‘the best senator and the best friend,’” Sa’ar said.
“Senator Graham was one of the greatest friends of Israel and the Jewish people in the United States and around the world. Lindsey was a man with a huge heart and rare personal charm. He was blessed with a clear view of reality and a genuine commitment to values. His support for Israel and its security was unwavering.”
“The State of Israel has lost a great friend. My condolences go to his family and the American people,” Sa’ar added. “Israel will not forget you, dear friend.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel had lost “one of its greatest friends in Washington.”
“Throughout his public service in the Senate and the U.S. Congress, he stood firmly alongside Israel and worked to strengthen the strategic alliance between the countries,” Smotrich said. “His unequivocal support and deep commitment to Israel’s security greatly contributed to strengthening our standing in the world and to numerous achievements during the war.”
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri called Graham “one of the greatest friends of the State of Israel and one of the righteous among the nations of our generation.”
“He stood courageously with Israel, fought without compromise against the Iranian axis of evil and terrorism, and made a significant contribution to strengthening the firm alliance between Israel and the United States,” Deri said. “The State of Israel has lost a true friend.”
Graham represented South Carolina in the Senate from 2003 and was seeking a fifth term. He became one of Trump’s closest congressional allies and was widely known for his hawkish positions on Iran, Russia and national security, as well as his outspoken support for Israel.