ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE

JULY 13, 2026 14:01

Just days before his passing, US Sen. Lindsey Graham visited Kyiv to address sanctions against Russia, Ukraine's needs for air defense, and the outlook for continued American assistance. Marking his tenth trip to the country since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, the South Carolina Republican stuck to the pattern that shaped much of his career: journey to a partner nation, confer with its officials, and return to Washington to advocate their interests in Congress and the administration.

Graham died Saturday at age 71 after what his office called a brief and sudden illness. His office has not yet released an official cause of death.

His passing leaves the Senate without one of its strongest voices for American military strength and close partnerships, including firm support for Israel and Ukraine along with steady pressure on Iran. In Jerusalem, Israeli leaders viewed his death not only as the loss of a helpful lawmaker but as the close of a political bond they had grown to depend on.

US President Donald Trump praised Graham as one of the finest individuals and senators he had known, calling him a tireless worker and a genuine American patriot. Senate Majority Leader John Thune highlighted Graham's military background and his conviction that US power should back democratic partners overseas. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described him as a determined advocate for his state and nation, noting that his kind would not be seen again.

Graham built lasting connections with Israeli political and security leaders over many years

The most heartfelt tributes came from Israel, where Graham had cultivated relationships with political and security figures for years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Lindsey recognized the linked security of Israel and America. Israel has lost one of its strongest friends, America has lost a great patriot, and I have lost a dear friend, he added.

President Isaac Herzog called Graham a source of moral clarity and a key player in the US-Israel partnership, while Defense Minister Israel Katz noted how the senator kept returning to Israel after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The tributes spanned Israel's usual political lines. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called Graham the finest senator and the finest friend. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid remembered him for his humor, warmth, and real affection for Israel rather than just his influence in Washington.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett recalled how Graham stood with Israel in its toughest times. Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz highlighted his work on security matters and efforts to strengthen ties between Israel and Arab states.

Graham's close tie with Netanyahu was widely recognized, yet it did not limit his connections in Israel. He stayed in contact with politicians who opposed the prime minister and visited often enough to form independent relationships. Many of those officials had worked with him directly for years, which explains why tributes arrived from both government and opposition figures.

Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel and a vice president of Republicans Overseas, told The Media Line that he had known Graham for nearly 30 years, starting when Graham served in the House. Their meetings occurred at Republican National Committee gatherings, party conventions, and during Graham's trips to Israel. Zell described him as one of the most courageous, outspoken, and clear advocates of the American-Israel strategic alliance in US politics during that period.

Zell also noted Graham's role in shaping Trump's approach to Israel after the two formed a close political bond following the 2016 election. His sudden passing represents a major loss not only for Israel but for the American people, the Jewish people, and the wider world, he said. Zell suggested the alliance would continue through Trump and other congressional supporters of Israel, yet he doubted whether Graham's successor could match his skill as a public advocate.

Elie Pieprz, director of international relations at the Israel Defense and Security Forum, said Graham's worth went beyond speeches and public shows of support. What distinguished him, Pieprz said, was his readiness to stay focused on an issue long after others would declare victory and move ahead. Relentless is probably the word that fits best, he told The Media Line.

Pieprz cited the Taylor Force Act as a strong example. The law, named after an American veteran killed in a 2016 stabbing attack in Tel Aviv, limited certain US aid to the Palestinian Authority unless it stopped payments to imprisoned terrorists and families of those killed in attacks. Graham played a leading role in the legislation and kept pressing the matter after it passed.

According to Pieprz, Graham did not accept formal Palestinian claims that the payment system had changed. He kept checking how funds were distributed and whether the PA was finding ways around the limits. Most politicians prefer to spot a problem, announce it solved, and take credit, Pieprz said. Graham was ready to revisit the issue when implementation fell short or officials tried to hide what remained the same.

That same persistence marked his handling of Iran, Ukraine, and other foreign policy matters. He refused to bend facts to fit a success story and was willing to criticize leaders from his own party when he felt a policy left an ally vulnerable.

Graham's access made that independence more effective. Pieprz said few senators could openly differ with the White House on a major national security issue and still have their views considered. Graham held that position with Trump while also keeping a long-standing relationship with Netanyahu. Very few senators could make their voice reach the White House, especially when offering occasional criticism, Pieprz said.

This mix stood out in Graham's Iran policy. He backed Trump yet did not hesitate to question diplomatic steps he viewed as weak. He consistently pushed for strong pressure on Tehran, defended military action against Iranian-backed groups, and warned against deals that might leave Iran able to threaten Israel. Zell pointed to Graham's criticism of the recent memorandum of understanding with Iran as an example of loyalty that did not require silence on security issues.

Graham's positions drew a very different reaction in Iran. Iranian state television reported his death in hostile terms, labeling him an anti-Iranian warmonger. The response reflected years of resentment over his support for sanctions, military pressure, and opposition groups seeking to end clerical rule. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Iranian opposition figure, offered a contrasting view, calling Graham a steady friend of the Iranian people and noting that some opposition supporters had fondly called him Uncle Lindsey.

Pieprz recalled one moment that showed how Graham worked in person. During a bipartisan Senate trip to Israel before the COVID-19 pandemic, the group visited the Gaza border and later met at Jerusalem's King David Hotel. Pieprz remembered that after a long day the members spoke carefully about the issues they had seen. Graham eventually stated his view plainly, without the cautious language others used.

He grasped the dynamics exceptionally well

The other senators did not always share Graham's politics, Pieprz said, but they accepted that his reading of the situation was accurate. He just understood the dynamics so well, he said. By the end of the talk, the group sensed that Graham had it right. For Pieprz, the episode revealed both Graham's command of the topic and the respect he earned from colleagues who did not usually follow his political direction.

According to Pieprz, Graham's eventual role in the US-Israel relationship was not clear at the start of his congressional career. He had not arrived in Washington as a foreign policy expert expected to make Israel a central focus. The commitment grew over time, Pieprz said, as Graham traveled more, learned the country, and became more involved in its security discussions. The more he engaged with the issue, the more he embraced it, he said. Eventually, it became part of him.

Graham built that understanding through repeated visits. Pieprz said the senator knew Israel in a way that briefings in Washington or occasional congressional travel could not provide. He understood the country and so many things about it, he said. And that is very hard to replicate. His familiarity with Israeli leaders, security concerns, and regional politics let him speak with authority drawn from years of direct contact rather than a single committee role.

His last trip abroad showed the same approach applied to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said their meeting covered added pressure on Russia, diplomatic efforts, urgent air-defense needs, and arrangements discussed with Trump on Patriot systems. After Graham's death, the Ukrainian president called him a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys also remembered Graham as a supporter of Ukraine and NATO's eastern members.

Graham's route to the Senate was shaped as much by family duty as by politics. He grew up in Central, South Carolina, and was the first in his family to complete college. After both parents died while he was still young, he helped care for his younger sister. He later served as a US Air Force lawyer and stayed in military service through the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel after more than 30 years. South Carolina voters elected him to the US House in 1995 and to the Senate eight years later.

His partnership with Trump developed later. Graham had been one of Trump's sharpest Republican critics during the 2016 primary, but the relationship shifted after the election. He became a regular White House ally and one of the senators able to speak directly with the president. That access did not always produce agreement, and Graham sometimes challenged the administration publicly, especially on foreign policy. He kept enough independence to object openly yet enough access to continue making his case directly.

Pieprz said part of Graham's influence may continue through the national security advisers who worked in his Senate office. Over the years, he watched staff members join Graham's circle and leave with a stronger grasp of foreign policy and a similar view that American and Israeli security are closely linked. Some may now bring elements of that approach to other roles in Washington, he said, even if no single lawmaker can fully replace Graham's part.

To think that someone could replace that is, frankly, not likely, Pieprz said. Instead of one figure able to move between Jerusalem, Congress, and the White House, he predicted the work would now be shared among several people. It will take a little bit more effort on Israel's side.