Sen. Lindsey Graham discussed the “unbreakable bonds” between the U.S. and Israel in a conversation Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and assured him that members of Congress support Israel.
“I let the prime minister know that there were many in the Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, who have Israel’s back,” the South Carolina Republican said in a statement on the call Saturday afternoon.
Graham, one of the most prominent defense hawks in the GOP, spoke with Netanyahu following Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party’s victories in the Israeli elections this week.
Signs of strains in the relationship between Netanyahu and the Obama administration came into the open following the victory, with the White House saying it would reassess U.S. support for Israel at the United Nations.
Graham said that he reassured Netanyahu that Congress would “look closely” at any deal between the U.S. and Iran over Iran’s nuclear ambitions before lifting sanctions on the Iranian regime.
The Republican also said that there would be bipartisan resistance to Palestinian efforts to join the International Criminal Court.
Palestine is set to join the court in April and has committed to press action against Israel for alleged crimes committed last year in the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
That would be a “deal-breaker” in terms of U.S. assistance to Palestine, Graham said.
