Senator Lindsey Graham Secretly Pushed Israel-Saudi Peace Deal Before His Death

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died unexpectedly at age 71, had been working secretly in recent weeks on a dramatic diplomatic initiative to promote a peace and normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to a report by Barak Ravid on Channel 12, Graham viewed this deal as his life's project and a key part of his diplomatic legacy. In private conversations, he described the initiative as a "game changer," even more significant than the conflict with Iran, with the potential to reshape the entire Middle East dynamic.

Graham planned a "diplomatic blitz" in close cooperation with former President Donald Trump and his team, aiming to finalize the agreement during a narrow political window after Israel's October elections and before the new U.S. Congress convened in January. In recent weeks, he held marathon talks with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer, Saudi Ambassador Princess Reema bint Bandar, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal. He also intended to visit the region in September to assess readiness and prepare the deal's components for a November deadline.

The diplomatic framework Graham developed was linked to resolving the military crisis with Iran. Leading Trump's hawkish advisory group, Graham urged the president to launch a short but powerful military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy failed. In mid-May, he presented the Israeli-Saudi peace idea as part of a "regional plan for the day after" neutralizing the Iranian threat, a concept Trump hinted at in a conference call with key Arab leaders including Saudi Arabia.

Graham faced two major political challenges: securing Senate approval for a U.S.-Saudi defense pact requiring a two-thirds majority, likely only achievable during the lame-duck session by addressing the Palestinian issue to win Democratic support; and overcoming Israeli resistance to Saudi demands for an irreversible path to a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu's government firmly opposed. Graham planned, with Trump, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, to pressure any new Israeli government after October to accept the American conditions.

The report also reveals chilling details about Graham's final hours. On Saturday night, he spoke with Trump about his Ukraine visit, while Trump informed him of impending strikes against Iran following an attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Shortly after, Graham felt unwell but refused urgent medical care, postponing it until after a scheduled "Meet the Press" interview. He joked, "I can't die now. I still need to pass the Russia sanctions, fix the Iran issue, and achieve normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia." Hours later, he passed away, leaving his ambitious peace plan unrealized.