Senator Lindsey Graham warns Pentagon document leak was ‘damaging’ to US-Israel relationship

South Carolina Republican senator visits Israel to discuss Iranian nuclear threat and expansion of Abraham Accords, warns that Pentagon document claiming Mossad helped anti-judicial reform protests has damaged America’s position.

By World Israel News Staff

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham visited Israel Sunday, meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as part of a Middle East trip.

Graham first stopped in Saudi Arabia, meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last Tuesday, before flying to Israel in an effort to reassure American allies in the region, after Pentagon documents were leaked to the internet, “damaging” U.S. relations with multiple countries, Graham said.

“I’ve been to Saudi Arabia, I’m in Israel. I can promise you, it’s been very damaging,” Graham told ABC on Sunday, citing leaked American intelligence reports claiming Israel’s Mossad agency aided the anti-government protests against the judicial reform plan.

“There’s information about Mossad supposedly helping the protesters. There’s information about the air defense capability of Ukraine.”

“And everybody in the region is really worried because, who wants to share information with the United States if you’re going to read about it in the paper or find it on the internet.”

“So, this has done a lot of damage to us in the region.”

During his visit to Israel, Graham spoke with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, during which the two discussed the need to present a credible military threat in order to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“The cooperation between Israel and the United States is essential to stop the Iranian nuclear program, which is a global threat,” Cohen said.

“We will continue to act to remove the Iranian nuclear threat from Israel, the Middle East, and the world as a whole. The way to bring about a change in Iranian behavior is by exerting comprehensive economic and diplomatic pressure in every area where Iran has an interest, including the establishment of a credible military threat against it.”

“I spoke with Senator Graham, a great friend of Israel, about regional challenges, opportunities to improve relations with neighboring countries, and his visit to Saudi Arabia, from which he arrived in Israel, and initiatives to strengthen Israel-US relations. I also expressed my deep appreciation for America’s move to deepen and expand the Abraham Accords, which contribute to regional prosperity and stability.”

iran nuclear programLindsey GrahamMinister Eli CohenSaudi Arabia