WASHINGTON — Previously unreleased documentary footage has revealed that late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham abandoned plans to urge President Donald Trump to support Israeli military strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advised against expanding the conflict.
The footage, filmed by documentary director Alex Holder and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal following Graham's death earlier this month, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the South Carolina Republican's foreign policy efforts and his close communications with Trump, Netanyahu and other world leaders. The documentary has not yet been released publicly.
Graham Planned to Lobby Trump
According to the documentary footage, Graham was preparing to travel to Florida in early March to persuade President Trump to support a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Before making the trip, Graham held a telephone conversation with Netanyahu on March 4 to discuss the proposal and the broader regional security situation.
Netanyahu Advised Against Expanding the Conflict
During the call, Netanyahu urged Graham not to push for military action against Hezbollah while Israel was focused on Iran.
"We're concentrating right now on Iran," Netanyahu said during the conversation.
The Israeli prime minister explained that while threatening Hezbollah with a large-scale attack could help deter the group, carrying out such an operation could remove any remaining restraint.
"If we tell Hezbollah that we're going all the way, we threaten them, but if we actually do it, then they have no reason not to go all the way against us. And right now that's not our interest," Netanyahu said.
According to the footage, Netanyahu cautioned that bringing the United States into military action against Hezbollah while the broader conflict involving Iran was underway would go "too far, too fast."
Graham Dropped the Proposal
Graham accepted Netanyahu's assessment during the call.
Speaking from his Senate office, he replied that the prime minister's advice was "good counsel" and subsequently abandoned his plan to lobby Trump to support military strikes against Hezbollah.
The documentary indicates that the planned meeting with Trump to advocate for the proposal did not move forward.
Documentary Highlights Graham's Foreign Policy Efforts
Beyond the Hezbollah discussion, the documentary captures several of Graham's international engagements during his final years.
The footage shows him traveling to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where he sought Saudi support for military action against Iran.
It also documents meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian military commanders, along with strategy discussions with former U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Views on U.S. Middle East Policy
The documentary also shows Graham expressing frustration with Trump's preliminary agreement involving Iran despite their close political relationship.
In the footage, Graham says Secretary of State Marco Rubio should lead U.S. diplomatic efforts related to Middle East negotiations.
Unreleased Footage Reviewed After Graham's Death
The documentary remains unreleased, but excerpts reviewed by The Wall Street Journal provide new details about Graham's private efforts to influence U.S. foreign and defense policy and his close coordination with Israeli leadership during the conflict involving Iran.
Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina known for his focus on foreign policy and strong support for Israel, died on July 12 at the age of 71 following a brief illness. Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner listed the cause of death as an aortic dissection related to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
According to the report, Netanyahu adjusted his travel schedule to attend Graham's funeral service later this month and is also scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House around the same time.
Source : WSJ
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