A senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Mr Graham met
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Benny Gantz during a trip to Israel. The committee oversees government spending, including foreign military aid.
Mr Graham said Iron Dome had saved thousands of lives during last month s rocket attacks and predicted Israel s request would find favour with
President Joe Biden and Congress, which is narrowly controlled by Mr Biden s Democrats.
“There s been a big dust-up over the last engagement between Hamas and the state of Israel in the United States, but I m here to tell you that there s a wide and deep support for Israel among the Democratic Party,” Mr Graham said.
A senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Graham met with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz during a trip to Israel. The committee oversees spending including foreign military aid.
U.S. senator expects U.S. to send more funds for Israel s Iron Dome
Reuters | Jun 01, 2021 04:57 PM EDT
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks during a U.S. Senate Budget Committee hearing regarding wages at large corporations on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. (Photo : Stefani Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS)
A senior U.S. senator said on Tuesday he expected Washington would quickly authorize as much as $1 billion for Israel to replenish its Iron Dome missile defense system after clashes in May with Hamas. There will be a $1 billion request coming to the Pentagon this week from the (Israeli) defense minister to replenish the Iron Dome and a few other things, to upgrade the system, Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters in Jerusalem.