January 5, 2024
Doing so is “essential” for Israel’s security, Lindsey Graham
argued during his visit to Tel Aviv
Washington
will continue to actively support Israel and seek to realize a “nightmare”
scenario for the Iranian leadership, US Senator Lindsey Graham told Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to Tel Aviv on Thursday.
The
US expressed its strong support for the Jewish State in October 2023 in the
wake of a Hamas terrorist attack, which claimed some 1,200 lives and saw more
than 240 people taken hostage. The Israeli retaliation campaign, which was also
backed by the US, has already killed more than 22,000 people in the Palestinian
enclave, according to local health officials.
On
Thursday, Graham told Netanyahu that both US lawmakers and the administration
of President Joe Biden would “push forward to make Iran’s worst nightmare
real,” adding that the US would “do everything we can” to support Israel. He
argued that West Jerusalem should strive for reconciliation with Arab nations,
calling such an outcome “a nightmare for the ayatollah.” He also described
establishing ties between Israel and the Arab world as an “absolutely essential
ingredient to a better, more stable Mid-East and a safe and secure Israel and a
prosperous Palestinian people.”
The
senator also stated that he was personally “more dedicated now to bringing
stability to your country and this region.” Netanyahu responded by expressing
his gratitude to Graham and vowed to continue Israel’s war campaign in Gaza.
“We’re
absolutely committed to achieving our war goals,” Netanyahu told Graham, adding
that West Jerusalem would “apply maximum power with maximum precision
everywhere that's needed.”
Iran
has repeatedly blamed Israel for the escalation in the region throughout the
ongoing conflict as well as accused it of committing “genocide” in Gaza and
setting “fire to the region.” Tehran also accused West Jerusalem’s Western
backers, including the US, of employing double standards in their assessment of
the situation in the Middle East.
Last
month, Graham, who is also known for his staunch anti-Iranian position, called
for a bombing campaign against Iran, calling for the country's oil fields and
the Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters to be “blown off the map.”
Graham
is a retired US Air Force colonel but spent his entire military career in the
Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a lawyer and then a judge. He also has a long
history of promoting the use of force abroad.
His
words came as Washington was reportedly preparing for the conflict between
Israel and Hamas to spill over the borders of Gaza and expand further to the
Middle East, according to Politico. The administration of US President Joe
Biden was allegedly reviewing scenarios that could see Washington drawn into a
major conflict in the region.
A
US response could be triggered by Yemeni Houthi fighters, who have been
targeting commercial ships off Yemen’s coast in response to the attacks on Gaza
by Israel, according to the news media outlet.
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