Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham vehemently opposed his proposal to eventually end American military aid to Israel.
Netanyahu recounted what he described as one of his final conversations with Graham, detailing how the South Carolina Republican pushed back against the idea of Israel becoming self-sufficient in its defense financing.
"He went ballistic. He said, 'No way, you can't do that,'" Netanyahu recalled Sunday on "Fox & Friends Weekend." "Because he was so concerned with our security, which he believed was your [America's] security, that he actually fought the prime minister of Israel on keeping America's aid or actually increasing it, and that tells you what kind of a person this extraordinary, extraordinary friend was."
Netanyahu had told Graham that Israel had developed a robust economy and could finance its own weapons, suggesting a gradual phase-out of U.S. military support over several years.
Graham, who passed away following a brief illness, was a staunch supporter of Israel and the U.S.-Israel alliance. Netanyahu described him as an "extraordinary friend" and praised his understanding of global challenges and the importance of American leadership.
"Lindsey Graham understood it perfectly," Netanyahu said, reflecting on Graham's grasp of the world's complexities and the need to maintain American influence. He also remembered Graham's keen sense of humor and his directness in serious matters, stating he would "miss him terribly."