Opposition leader Yair Lapid, speaking at an Atlantic Council event in Washington on Monday night before the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, said Graham's legacy will be tied to Israeli-Saudi normalization. 'His name will be signed on normalization with Saudi Arabia when it happens,' Lapid said, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). He called expanding the circle of peace the most important tribute to Graham's memory.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid addressed the Atlantic Council in Washington on Monday night, delivering remarks that linked the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to the pursuit of Israeli-Saudi normalization. 'Lindsey was my friend. His name will be signed on normalization with Saudi Arabia when it happens,' Lapid said, according to Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). Lapid, who traveled to the United States to attend Graham's funeral, called expanding the circle of peace and security the most important tribute to the senator's memory.
Graham, who died suddenly on July 12, was a vocal advocate for Israeli-Saudi normalization and spent his final weeks laying groundwork for a renewed push, as The Zioneer reported. The senator's death was met with widespread mourning in Israel, with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other leaders eulogizing him as a true friend of the Jewish state. Lapid's remarks come ahead of the funeral ceremony, which Netanyahu is also expected to attend.
The speech underscores the bipartisan consensus in Israel regarding the strategic importance of normalization with Riyadh, a goal Graham championed. Lapid, who leads the opposition, framed the normalization effort as a fitting memorial. The timing of the speech, just before the funeral, highlights the centrality of the U.S.-Israel relationship and Graham's role in shaping it.
No further details were provided regarding the timing of any potential normalization agreement, and the Saudi position remains unchanged.
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