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Netanyahu: Graham Challenged Push to End Israel Aid in Final Talk

Netanyahu revealed that the late Senator Lindsey Graham angrily rejected his proposal to gradually phase out U.S. military aid to Israel despite the country's economic growth.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

JULY 12, 2026 AT 11:24 PM

Speaking on Fox & Friends Weekend, Netanyahu recalled what he described as one of his final conversations with the South Carolina Republican, who passed away Sunday following what officials described as a brief and sudden illness. According to the Israeli leader, Graham’s concern for Israel’s security—which the senator viewed as inseparable from American security—led him to oppose even a friendly suggestion to reduce aid.

Netanyahu explained that he had told Graham that Israel had matured into a nation with a robust economy capable of self-sufficiency. The prime minister said he proposed gradually phasing out military support over several years, bringing it down to zero as Israel could finance its own defense and protect shared American-Israeli interests.

Graham’s response was unequivocal. Netanyahu recounted that the senator went ballistic and flatly refused to entertain the idea.

The Israeli prime minister praised Graham’s personality, noting his sharp sense of humor alongside his clear and pointed communication style in serious matters. Netanyahu described his interactions with the late senator as encouraging and said he would miss him terribly.

Reflecting on Graham’s broader worldview, Netanyahu emphasized that the senator understood the challenges facing American leadership in what he characterized as a tough and rapidly changing world. Without American strength, Netanyahu argued, liberty itself would be threatened and a dark age could descend upon civilization.

Graham’s death has sent shockwaves through Washington, where his unwavering support for allies including Israel and Ukraine defined much of his legislative career. The South Carolina Republican’s passing also creates potential complications for the Trump administration’s Senate agenda, as it further narrows an already slim Republican majority.

Emergency medical services audio reportedly revealed that medics were called to Graham’s residence over chest pains before he suffered a fatal heart attack.

With information from New York Post

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.