Netanyahu-Graham Meeting Highlights Shared Strategic Goals Amid Fragile Peace Efforts
In a visit underscoring both enduring alliances and the volatile realities of the Middle East, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior members of his team in Washington, D.C., for what Graham described as a “very good meeting” centered on regional stability and the road ahead.
Taking to social media afterward, Graham summarized the discussions as focused on “the importance of keeping the Iranian regime in a weakened state until they change their behavior toward Israel, the region, and the United States.” He emphasized a shared vision of moving the region “toward the light away from the darkness,” through economic and political integration.
Firm in his support for Israel’s core positions, Graham backed the view that Hamas must be dismantled entirely before any enduring peace in Gaza can take root. He also reiterated that normalization with Iran cannot proceed unless the regime recognizes Israel’s right to exist—a stance long echoed in Israeli security doctrine.
“Israel continues to be one of the foundational partners for the United States,” the senator said. “I have a lot of admiration for the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”
The meeting formed part of Netanyahu’s high-level visit to Washington, which has included two closed-door sessions with former President Donald Trump amid intensified indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a potential hostage release deal. Talks, facilitated by Qatari mediators in Doha, remain ongoing but complex.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Capitol Hill, where he underscored a shared belief in “peace through strength.”
“The President and I believe in a doctrine called peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes the peace,” Netanyahu said. Referring to the recent 12-day conflict with Iran, he lauded American and Israeli military coordination: “The B2 pilots showed perseverance and power. Israeli soldiers fought like lions, our pilots struck like lightning, and our alliance roared like thunder.”
Netanyahu noted that such strength has shifted dynamics in the region, opening potential paths to broader peace. “There are opportunities for peace that we intend to realize. We’re working together on this,” he stated.
Still, Netanyahu emphasized that the mission in Gaza is far from over. “We must finish the job: release all our hostages and eliminate Hamas’s military and governance capabilities,” he declared. “Gaza must have a different future—for our sake, for everyone’s sake.”
On Wednesday, Netanyahu also met with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, where discussions focused on the Iran threat, regional cooperation, and deepening the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office described the talks as part of a broader effort to coordinate security priorities.
Simultaneously, Sara Netanyahu and Jennifer Hegseth, the Defense Secretary’s wife, toured the Pentagon, including a visit to the 9/11 memorial—a symbolic reminder of shared sacrifice and the long arc of democratic resilience in the face of terror.
