Republican Senator slams Netanyahu’s Shin Bet pick who criticized Trump

Graham: “Eli Sharvit’s statements about President Trump and his policies will create unnecessary stress at a critical time.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointee to head the Shin Bet internal security agency.

Graham, who has consistently supported Israel, noted former Navy Chief Eli Sharvit’s statements criticizing Trump’s stance on the environment and climate change. “While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic,” Graham wrote on X.

He added, “There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. Eli Sharvit’s statements about President Trump and his policies will create unnecessary stress at a critical time.

“My advice to my Israeli friends is to change course and do better vetting.”

Netanyahu announced on Monday morning that he had chosen Major General Sharvit as the new head of the Shin Bet. The selection was unexpected because he was not among the three candidates frequently mentioned in the media.

The choice is seen as unusual also because the Shin Bet does not currently employ Sharvit, who never served in the agency.

In his criticism, Graham was alluding to an op-ed Sharvit wrote that was published by Calcalist on January 23. Sharvit, then head of the green energy company QD-SOL, criticized Trump’s environmental and climate policies.

“President Trump opted to abandon the crucial goal of achieving zero emissions by 2050 and instead focused on promoting polluting fuels, driven by a short-term conservative agenda aimed at maximizing immediate profits,” Sharvit wrote.

“The consequences of his harmful policies are still being felt,” he added.

“We live in an era where the public demands greater accountability from governments and corporations. Trump’s decision to disregard these demands sends a message to the world that the United States is stepping back from its global leadership role,” Sharvit continued. “Under the previous Trump administration, American leadership on climate and the environment faltered, and now it is our responsibility to ensure it doesn’t fail again.”