Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a long-time friend of Israel, is upset. On Monday night, Graham tweeted: “I’m glad to see Mr. Cohen, the new Israeli foreign minister, is prioritizing the US-Israel strategic relationship and supports continued humanitarian aid to Ukraine. However, the idea that Israel should speak less about Russia’s criminal invasion of Ukraine is a bit unnerving.”
Do you sometimes get the feeling Israel’s friends have the nasty habit of hovering over its shoulder and telling it how to run its affairs?
Eli Cohen (Likud), Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke on Monday before the ministry’s staff in Jerusalem and Israeli diplomats around the world, telling them, among other things, that regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, “we will do one thing for sure––publicly–– we will talk less. We will prepare a detailed reference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Cabinet in an effort to formulate a responsible policy. In any case –– our significant humanitarian aid to Ukraine will continue.”
Sen. Graham apparently wants Israel to talk more, not less about Russia. The way American politicians are talking day and night about the nuclear threat of North Korea, to the point where they would goad Kim Jong-un into starting WW3. Wait, they don’t do that? Of course not, and Israel would be very smart to say as little as possible about Russia, whose army is parked just north of its border, in Syria. Don’t poke the bear is a crucial principle when it comes to countries that are much bigger than you or have leaders who could start WW3.
Not good enough for Lindsey. He is upset that Minister Cohen plans to speak to his Russian counterpart. Thank God, Lindsey doesn’t drop in on the Jerusalem foreign ministry to monitor the central heating.
“I hope Mr. Cohen understands that when he speaks to Russia’s Lavrov, he’s speaking to a representative of a war criminal regime that commits war crimes on an industrial scale every day,” the Senator from North Carolina tweeted, and added, with a whiff of a threat: “To stay quiet about Russia’s criminal behavior will not age well.”
Holy Foghorn Leghorn, Lindsey, where are your southern gentleman’s manners?
The Russians for their part couldn’t have enough of it. TASS reported (almost giddily) on Monday: “Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced on Monday that he was planning to have a conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on January 3. […] Speaking about upcoming conversations with his foreign counterparts, Cohen said he was set to strengthen Israel’s ties with European nations. However, fostering strategic partnership with the United States will be a top priority for Israel, he emphasized.”
Does Lindsey Graham seriously want Israel’s foreign minister to tell Lavrov he’s a war criminal?
Eli Cohen, 51, has served as Minister of the Economy and Industry in the 34th government and is a member of the Political-Security Cabinet. He is married and the father of four, lives Holon, an accountant, lecturer at Tel-Aviv University, and a Major (res.) in the Air Force. He served as a director in various companies and filled an array of senior positions in the business sector.
Exactly the type who won’t start WW3. Here’s hoping we can say the same about Sen. Lindsey Graham.
I hope Mr. Cohen understands that when he speaks to Russia’s Lavrov, he’s speaking to a representative of a war criminal regime that commits war crimes on an industrial scale every day. https://t.co/4DWp93VPFQ
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 2, 2023
