South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a likely Republican presidential candidate, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday and vowed to stand up for Israel in the United Nations.
Graham also pledged a “violent pushback” against the Palestinians if they pursue war crimes charges against Israeli soldiers in the International Criminal Court.
Graham told reporters at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel:
If there’s an effort by any nation to have the [U.N.] Security Council define the terms of the peace process, there will be a violent backlash from the United States Congress in a bipartisan fashion.
Graham’s remarks allude to a recently announced proposal by France that vowed to recognize a Palestinian state if there is no agreement between Israel and the Palestinians through an upcoming French-backed U.N. Security Council resolution.
“I am in charge of the foreign assistance account, I’m in charge of the money we provide for the United Nations,” said Graham, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.