Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Monday slammed Foreign Minister Eli Cohen for neglecting to call out Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
"To stay quiet about Russia’s criminal behavior will not age well," Graham said in a tweet.
The senator who is considered a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to a speech made by Cohen on Monday, his first since taking office.
While Cohen emphasized that U.S.-Israeli relations are a top priority for the Foreign Ministry, he added that Israel will not be "talking as much" about Ukraine as the previous Israeli government.
Graham responded with a succession of tweets, expressing his anger at Cohen's failure to condemn the Russian aggression.
"I'm glad to see Mr. Cohen is prioritizing the U.S.-Israel strategic relationship and supports continued humanitarian aid to Ukraine, however, the idea that Israel should speak less about Russia's criminal invasion of Ukraine is a bit unnerving," Graham wrote.
"I hope Mr. Cohen understands that when he speaks to Russia’s Lavrov, he’s speaking to a representative of a war criminal regime that commits war crimes on an industrial scale every day."
His criticism could be a blow to the new minister who has been considered one of Israel's greatest allies in Congress.
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Senator Lindsey Graham with Benjamin Netanyahu on the West Bank in 2019
(Photo: Reuters)
Democrats and Republicans are thus far in agreement on support of Ukraine and condemnation of Russia for its invasion last February, and its attack on civilians in the months since.
If Israeli policy changes to a more supportive approach to Russia, it could damage Jerusalem's standing in Washington.
The Foreign Ministry said in response that Cohen's comments did not indicate a policy change on the part of the government, only that there should be fewer public statements made.
According to the ministry, Cohen will have a conversation with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday and also plans to speak with his Ukrainian counterpart, soon.