Lindsey Graham in Lebanon: Evangelical Zeal and “’Israel’ First” Politics
By Mohamad Hammoud
Senator Lindsey Graham’s recent visit to Lebanon was no goodwill mission. As part of a US congressional delegation, he met with President Joseph Aoun and pressed for Hezbollah’s disarmament and the expansion of the Lebanese Army—on one condition: it must never be capable of confronting “Israel”. Afterward, Graham bluntly told reporters he would not reveal what “Israel” planned until Hezbollah laid down its arms. His words inverted reality, portraying Hezbollah as the aggressor while ignoring “Israel’s” repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty.
For anyone familiar with Graham, this was no surprise. A fervent Evangelical, he has long wielded Scripture in the Senate, citing Genesis 12:3—“I will bless those who bless you”—not for his voters in South Carolina but for a state six thousand miles away. For three decades, this conviction has made Graham Washington’s most dependable lobbyist for “Israel,” a man who puts its interests above America’s and consistently portrays Muslims as threats. At a Republican rally in August 2025, he thundered: “If America pulls the plug on ‘Israel,’ God will pull the plug on us.” The remark revealed the theology driving his politics: defend “Israel” at any cost.
Scripture Over Statesmanship
Graham’s worldview was forged in Columbia’s First Baptist Church and at Bob Jones University, where dispensational theology links Christ’s return to a secure Jewish state. By the time he entered Congress in 1995, he had absorbed the formula: protect “Israel”, hasten prophecy, secure God’s favor. The Constitution is a tool, but Revelation sets the course.
This theology has shaped his record. In 1998, he co-sponsored the Iraq Liberation Act, branding Saddam Hussein “a modern-day Haman”. Three years later, he backed the invasion of Iraq, telling a Charleston congregation it “protects the apple of God’s eye”. He called for bombing Syria to shield “Israel’s” north. He opposed the 2015 Iran deal with a pledge of “unconditional backing” for any “Israeli” strike—before the Senate had even reviewed it. In 2020, he introduced legislation to cut US aid to Palestinian hospitals and fund "Israeli" annexation of the West Bank.
Money and Loyalty
Campaign finance records show the money trail. Open Secrets lists Miriam Adelson and NORPAC among its top lifetime donors. When asked about donor influence, Graham points back to Genesis 12:3. But the ties run deeper. In 2016, his “Victory Fund” took $500,000 from a Cyprus shell company linked to an Israeli defense contractor. In 2018, leaked emails revealed that his staff had ghostwritten op-eds for the Emergency Committee for “Israel” using official Senate letterhead. In 2020, during the COVID shutdown, he flew to Jerusalem on a private jet, prayed at the Western Wall, and skipped Israel’s quarantine rules—privileges reserved for senators willing to advance “Israel’s” agenda.
Lessons from Leaked Cables
Leaked diplomatic cables from 2025 reinforce a familiar pattern: Lebanese sovereignty is repeatedly subordinated to “Israel’s” security. In these documents, Graham is depicted explicitly directing Lebanese officials to limit Hezbollah’s influence, expand the Lebanese Army under tightly controlled parameters, and block energy deals with Iranian financing. The cables also highlight US support for embedding an Israeli liaison cell within the Lebanese Army and for imposing sanctions on any cabinet including Hezbollah ministers. Together, these instructions reveal a consistent strategy Graham has long championed: Lebanon’s institutions are to be reshaped not to strengthen its own stability, but to serve the security priorities of “Israel”.
The Senator for “Israel”
Critics have long noted that Graham seems to treat his role as a guardian of “Israel’s” interests as seriously as his duties in Washington. Year after year, he has worked to secure billions in military aid for “Israel,” while simultaneously pushing for sanctions and military threats against Iran. His rhetoric often crosses into the extreme: he has suggested strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and threatened to cut off Lebanon entirely if Hezbollah remains armed.
This unwavering commitment has earned him the nickname “Senator from ‘Israel’” among detractors. Far from being insulted, Graham embraces it, boasting of his close ties with “Israeli” leaders and proudly emphasizing his coordination with them. His recent trips to the region, including meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials, reinforce his identity as one of “Israel’s” most loyal American allies.
Prophecy Before Policy
Graham makes no secret of his hierarchy of priorities. At Liberty University in 2022, he declared: “When the Bible says ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem,’ it doesn’t add ‘unless it conflicts with the War Powers Act.’” Every war he promotes, every sanction he authors, every clandestine trip he undertakes serves one goal: “Israel” safe, Muslims contained, and American interests secondary.
Conclusion: A Senator for “Israel”
Lindsey Graham’s career exemplifies unyielding loyalty to “Israel” and hostility toward Muslims who resist it. Whether in Washington, Jerusalem, or Beirut, he acts as both preacher and lobbyist, guided less by law than by prophecy. His Bible may be in one hand, but in the other is a policy script written not for South Carolina—or America—but for “Israel”. In Graham’s politics, “Israel” always comes first, and everyone else—even America—comes second. Lindsey Graham serves “Israel,” and Lebanon, Muslims and even American interests exist only as secondary concerns.
