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Lindsey Graham Blasts Obama's Treatment of Israel from Senate Floor

March 25, 2015

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) tore apart President Obama’s Chief of Staff Dennis McDonough for his remarks at J Street, including a call to end a 50-year "occupation" of Palestinian territory.

"An occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state," McDonough said.

Graham, an unapologetic defense hawk and vocal supporter of Israel, accused the White House of using talking points from Hamas.

"The Chief of Staff of the President of the United States is looking at a world completely different than the one I’m viewing," Graham said. "Our administration is taking up the language of a terrorist organization to describe our friends in Israel."

The senator defended Israel’s actions in the West Bank. Graham said he believes Israel was responding appropriately to the rockets being launched at them by Hamas. He deplored the terrorist group’s use of Palestinians as human shields, and said the Obama administration was completely backwards in the way they approach the region.

"All I can say is when I thought it couldn’t get worse, it has," Graham said. "When I thought we couldn’t reach a new low in terms of this White House’s view of the Middle East, we reached a new low."

Graham also skewered the president for his attempts to woo the Ayatollah into a nuclear agreement. He mocked the president for encouraging Iranians to speak up to their leaders, reminding the president that Iran’s totalitarian dictatorship does not listen to its people.

Sharing the sentiment of Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), Graham ripped the president for continuing negotiations with Iran days after the Ayatollah led thousands in a "Death to America" chant.

"Wake up and change your policies before you set the whole world on fire," Graham said, challenging President Obama.

Graham said he was particularly disturbed by the difference in the Obama administration’s words to Iran and Israel. Echoing the words of another 2016 contender, Graham ridiculed Obama for his rhetoric against Netanyahu, increasing tensions between the two countries.

"So Mr. McDonough, President Obama, you are completely delusional about the world as it is," Graham said.

The senator assured the Israeli people that the 535 members of Congress stand behind Israel, even if America’s president did not.

Graham’s blistering 12-minute floor speech left the administration with many questions at a time they have taken flak for the language they used towards Israel.

"Your foreign policy is not working. If you don’t get that, then God help us all," Graham said. "You are making everything worse."