(28 Aug 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tel Aviv, Israel – 28 August 2025
1. Wide of U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham walking to podium
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:
“Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. I visited the Marine Memorial near our embassy, Memorial to Americans killed in Lebanon, the explosion at the Marine barracks, over 200 American Marines killed at the hands of Hezbollah. It is time for Hezbollah to go. They are trained by Iran, they’re loyal to Iran, and we’re looking for military power in Lebanon to be loyal to the Lebanese people and a good partner to the region. So Israel can be a productive partner in this. They need to start having dialog with the Lebanese army about how to take over from UNIFIL. And we need to all start talking about Plan B. If we have to use military force, to disarm Hezbollah, I think it’s in America’s interest to make sure the Lebanese Army is successful.”
3. Mid of press conference
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:
“One thing to me is non-negotiable, Hamas needs to go, and they need to go this year. Next year, I envision the year of starting over again, post-October 7th. I envision 2026 to be the year trying to integrate Israel into the region, to build on the Abraham Accords, and the sooner that process starts, the better. It will be hard to talk to Arab partners in this region while there are major military operations ongoing.”
5. Cutaway of camera operators
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:
“I will leave it up to Israel to do what it takes to finish off Hamas. I’ll leave it to them regarding the time it takes. My observation is that (20)26 needs to be the year of having a day after plan implemented in Gaza, a reformed West Bank, and talking about how to bring peace to the region.”
7. Wide of press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:
“As to the idea that Israel has tried to starve the people in Gaza as a tool of war, I firmly and completely reject that.”
9. Cutaway of American flag
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R) South Carolina:
“I met yesterday with the Prime Minister and Cindy McCain, my dear friend, the head of the World Food Programme. It was one of the more productive meetings I’ve been in. There was an honest exchange between the World Food Programme and COGAT and the IDF about what we can do together to improve delivery of food that goes to the Palestinian people, not to Hamas. And I am very optimistic that that dialog will result in more trucks going in, delivering aid to the right people.”
11. Track right of Graham walking away
STORYLINE:
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham repeated calls Thursday for the disarmament of the militant group Hezbollah, hinting at military force to do so.
“It is time for Hezbollah to go," Graham said at a press conference in Tel Aviv following meetings with government officials in Israel and Lebanon.
"If we have to use military force, to disarm Hezbollah, I think it’s in America’s interest to make sure the Lebanese Army is successful.”
Earlier Thursday the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to terminate the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon at the end of next year after nearly five decades.
In response, Graham said Israel could be a "productive partner" and urged the country to "start having dialog with the Lebanese army about how to take over from UNIFIL.”
Graham also addressed the humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying he rejected the notion that Israel was using starvation as a tool of war.
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