Netanyahu to Visit DC for Lindsey Graham Funeral

Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington, DC, on July 18 to attend the funeral of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly on July 11 at age 71. This visit marks the Israeli Prime Minister's first official trip to the capital since the war with Iran. Netanyahu also plans to meet with President Donald Trump during his stay, following a recent agreement between the two leaders to convene.

In recent radio interviews, Netanyahu praised Graham as a patriot and a dedicated ally who understood that the security of Israel and the United States are inseparable. He further detailed Israel's military progress, characterizing the recovery since October 7 as the "greatest comeback in history." Netanyahu claimed that joint U.S.-Israeli operations have shattered the "Iran terror axis," noting that the Assad regime in Syria has fallen, Hezbollah's missile capacity is reduced to 8%, and Hamas has been severely degraded.

Netanyahu used these interviews to voice opposition to the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey by the Trump administration, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's support for Hamas and hostile rhetoric. Additionally, he dismissed threats from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who suggested arresting Netanyahu for war crimes during his planned address to the U.N. General Assembly in September.