Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: Lindsey Graham's Final Push for Peace Deal
Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: US Senator Lindsey Graham, who was a close ally of President Donald Trump, spent his final weeks working to help Saudi Arabia and Israel build diplomatic ties before he died on Saturday.
Graham, who was 71, had once openly criticised Trump but later became one of his strongest supporters.
His office said he died late Saturday from a heart condition caused by hardened arteries.
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Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: Lindsey Graham Worked to Advance Saudi-Israel Ties Until the End
Saudi Arabia Israel Latest Update: The South Carolina senator was regarded as one of the most influential voices in US foreign policy and remained focused on his main diplomatic goals until his passing.
Graham believed that normalising ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel was the most important part of a broader post-war plan for West Asia.
In recent weeks, he told Axios that he had discussed this idea with Trump and US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. He said they agreed to work on it together.
He believed that such an agreement could last beyond the conflict with Iran and help shape the region's future.
Saudi Israel Peace Deal: How Graham Championed Saudi-Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: Graham had worked on this issue for years, including during President Joe Biden's administration.
In mid-May, Graham urged Trump to make Saudi-Israel normalisation the main part of a broader 'day-after' strategy for the conflict.
About a week later, during a conference call with leaders from several Arab and Muslim countries, Trump said he wanted them to establish ties with Israel if a deal could end the war with Iran.
Israel-Saudi Diplomatic Relations
Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: Saudi Arabia was central to these efforts, with plans to start an intensive diplomatic campaign after Israel's October elections and the US midterm elections.
The goal was to reach an agreement before the new Congress took office in January.
Graham also told Axios that he had spoken with Ron Dermer, a close aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Princess Reema bint Bandar, and the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
He was preparing to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel in the coming weeks to see if both sides were willing to restart negotiations.
Work was expected to begin in September so that the main elements of an agreement could be ready by November.
Middle East Peace: Graham's Saudi-Israel Deal Hinged on Two Critical Challenges
Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: Graham believed the proposal depended on overcoming two main political challenges. First, it needed enough support in Congress.
Second, the Israeli government had to be willing to accept Saudi Arabia's conditions, according to Axios.
A key part of the agreement was a US-Saudi defence treaty, much of which had already been negotiated during the Biden administration.
Saudi Arabia Foreign Policy: Hours Before Hospital Visit, Graham Discussed Iran and Russia With Trump
On Saturday night, during his final hours, Graham spoke with Trump by phone about his recent visit to Ukraine and the Russia sanctions bill he wanted the Senate to consider soon.
According to the report, Trump then told him he was preparing new strikes against Iran after another attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia Israel Latest News: Graham Delays Treatment, Jokes About Unfinished Work
Saudi Arabia Israel Peace Ties: During the call, someone who spoke with Graham told the publication that the senator said he was not feeling well.
The person urged him to get medical help right away, but Graham said he would seek treatment on Sunday morning after his scheduled appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Graham joked that he had no plans to die soon, mentioning his unfinished work on Russia sanctions, Iran, and Israeli-Saudi normalisation.
He died just a few hours later.
The Final Days of Lindsey Graham: Key Details
Mr Graham's office did not release further details about the circumstances surrounding his death.
A preliminary report from the medical examiner said he died from a tear in the main artery carrying blood from the heart, caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a condition that gradually hardens and weakens the arteries.
Dispatcher recordings obtained by The New York Times showed that emergency crews were sent to Mr Graham's Capitol Hill home on Saturday night after a report of chest pains.
Although the recordings did not identify him by name, responders said they were performing CPR on a person in cardiac arrest. Mr Graham had returned from Ukraine only hours earlier.
President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Mr Graham shortly before the incident and noticed nothing unusual except that he appeared tired.
Referring to early reports of a possible heart attack, Trump said it would have been "a quick end" and "maybe that's not the worst way to go."
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department said Mr Graham was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m. at George Washington University Hospital.
His death came a month after winning the Republican primary for South Carolina's Senate race.
Under state law, Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of his term through January 2027.
Flags will fly at half-staff until Saturday evening, while Republican leaders are planning tributes to honour his legacy.
Check out this video of late US Senator Lindsey Graham
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