Never-before-seen footage published this week on CNN gives a rare glimpse into the relationship between the late US Senator Lindsey Graham and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and reveals that the lawmaker sought to enlist US military support for Israel in its war against Hezbollah.
The footage, filmed by documentarian Alex Holder, who spent three years with the senator before his death, shows the senator in a warm conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister.
After a short exchange of pleasantries, Graham is heard getting down to business, telling Netanyahu that he is set to meet with President Donald Trump and offers: "I'm going to try to get him to join with y'all in Lebanon to maybe fly some with you. Would you like that?"
The Israeli Prime Minister kindly turns down the offer: "I think you have a point, but I've been thinking about the other side of it for a second. I'm concentrating right now on Iran."
Netanyahu is heard saying that "if we tell Hezbollah that we're going all the way, we're threatening them. But if we actually do it, then they have no reason not to go all the way against us. And right now, that's not our interest. We can do it later."