Six U.S. senators from both parties, who visited Israel today and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, senior Israeli officials, and hostage families, held a press conference in Tel Aviv on Monday evening where they criticized Trump’s plan to take over Gaza.
Leading a congressional delegation in Israel, senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated, “There is very little appetite in the U.S. Senate for the U.S. to take over Gaza in any way, shape or form.”
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Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal dismissed Trump’s proposal as “a non-plan. It’s a hot mess. The possibility of takeover by the United States is a non-starter.” He added, “I think for most of us, a takeover involving any troops, any taxpayer dollars is simply a non-starter.”
Addressing Trump’s proposal of displacing Palestinians, Graham said that after speaking with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli leaders, “Their view is that Palestinians should be given the opportunity to leave if they would like,” adding that he supports that.
“I will work with Israel to find countries that would host Palestinians if they choose to leave,” he continued. “But we’re not talking about a forced exodus by Israel or anyone else.”
Blumenthal also highlighted the role of regional players, saying, “Jordan’s King Abdullah has convinced me that the plan the Arab states will present to President Trump is realistic,” further stating that the Arab proposal “could be a game changer for the region.”
Regarding the Israel-Hamas cease-fire, Graham expressed doubt that Israel could avoid further fighting in Gaza. “It is the goal of President Trump, the prime minister and all of us to bring all the hostages home,” he said. “There’s a second goal that we all share, that Hamas will not be in charge militarily or politically in Gaza ever again.
“I hope we can find an accommodation where they go without having to go back to the fight, but I doubt if that’s going to happen,” he added.
On the second stage of the hostage deal, he said, “I’ll leave it up to the Israelis, [to decide] what an acceptable end of the war looks like.” He concluded, “Pray for the hostages, but we cannot leave Hamas in charge.”
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff agreed that “Hamas can never be allowed to pose a military threat to Israel again and cannot be allowed to govern or pose any kind of authority in Gaza or anywhere else again,” calling that prospect “a non-starter.”
However, he stressed that Israel must have a long-term vision for the post-war period, saying, it is hard to know how to fight a war “without knowing for sure where you want the end to be.”
“And although I know this is an unpopular idea in Israel, I believe that ultimately the way to a lasting peace will require two states,” the Jewish senator said.
Regarding Iran, Graham warned of an impending decision by the Trump administration on the Iranian nuclear program.
“There are two paths to take: a military path where we help Israel deliver a decisive blow against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure,” he said. “I prefer that path.”
“The second path is to negotiate with Iran to try to get them to abandon their nuclear ambitions,” he added. “If that path is chosen, it needs to be limited in time. We should put it on the clock, and we should define what success looks like.”
In response to Haaretz’s question about Saudi Arabia’s role in Gaza’s reconstruction, Graham stated, “It will play the key, definitive role.”
He explained that Saudi Arabia seeks two things: a defense agreement with the U.S. “which serves as a counter to Iran’s ambitions,” and a “dignified solution to the Palestinian issue.”
On the political challenges the Israeli coalition faces, Graham remarked, “I understand Israeli politics: You’re united in not wanting to reward Palestinians with a state after they killed 1,200 of your citizens.”
The crucial question, he said, is how this conflict will end without Hamas. “The good news is MBS doesn’t want Hamas back any more than you do,” he concluded.