US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) met on Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team, in what he described as a "very good meeting" focused on regional security and future peace prospects.
According to a statement posted by Graham on X, the discussion centered on “the importance of keeping the Iranian regime in a weakened state until they change their behavior toward Israel and the region, and toward the United States. We also talked about the mutual desire to continue to integrate the region politically and economically, moving toward the light away from the darkness.”
The senator expressed strong backing for Israel’s stance that Hamas must be fully removed from Gaza as a condition for any peace agreement. He also emphasized that Iran must recognize Israel’s right to exist before any negotiations can move forward.
“Israel continues to be one of the foundational partners for the United States,” Graham stated. “I have a lot of admiration for the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”
Netanyahu’s meeting with Graham came as part of his visit to Washington, DC, during which he met with senior members of the Trump administration, including twice with the President himself.
The second of the two meetings between Trump and Netanyahu occurred on Tuesday.
The meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half, came amid intensive talks held in recent days between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar in Doha, in an effort to formulate a deal for the release of hostages. The two did not give statements to the media after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu spoke to the media on Capitol Hill following his meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson.
"The President and I believe in a doctrine called peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes the peace. Our resolute action, the resolute decision of President Trump to act with us against those who seek to destroy Israel and threaten the peace of the world has made a remarkable change in the Middle East," said Netanyahu.
Addressing the recent 12-day conflict with Iran, the Prime Minister said, "The remarkable American B2 pilots showed remarkable perseverance, persistence and power. The soldiers of Israel fought like lions, our pilots struck like lightning and our common alliance roared like thunder. And this is having a great change in our region. There are opportunities for peace that we intend to realize. We’re working together on this."
"We have still to finish the job in Gaza, release all our hostages, eliminate and destroy Hamas’s military and governance capabilities because Gaza must have a different future, for our sake, for everyone’s sake. And no country will settle for less. We certainly will not," he said.
"These are all things that I discussed with President Trump. I may discuss further with him later in this visit. But I have to say that the coordination between our two countries, the coordination between an American president and an Israeli prime minister has been unmatched. It offers great promise for Israel, for America, for our region and for the world," Netanyahu concluded.
Also on Wednesday, Netanyahu met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.
In a statement summarizing the visit, Netanyahu’s office said, “The Prime Minister held a meeting with the Secretary of Defense and his team, which focused on primary issues of security, including countering the threat from Iran, regional security cooperation, and strengthening the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States.”
“At the same time, Mrs. Sara Netanyahu and Jennifer Hegseth, the wife of the Secretary of Defense, took a unique tour of the Pentagon compound, which included, among other sites, a visit to the memorial for the victims of the September 11 attack on the Pentagon,” the statement added.