WASHINGTON — Leading a bipartisan delegation of senators on a trip to Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Monday expressed confidence that leaders of Arab nations will devise a plan for the future of the Gaza Strip that does not force a “mass exodus” of Palestinians, even as President Donald Trump pushes his vision for the U.S. to own the territory and relocate its two million inhabitants. 

What You Need To Know

  • Leading a bipartisan delegation of senators on a trip to Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Monday expressed confidence that leaders of Arab nations will devise a plan for the future of the Gaza Strip that does not force a “mass exodus” of Palestinians
  • Graham noted that Arab leaders are set to meet imminently in Saudi Arabia to draft a plan to present to Trump that would would enable Palestinians to choose whether they want to stay in Gaza for reconstruction following the now 16-month-old war
  • It comes as President Donald Trump pushes his vision for the U.S. to own the Gaza Strip and relocate its inhabitants to neighboring Arab nations
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Netanyahu in Israel, after which the top U.S. diplomat declared that Hamas “must be eradicated” and the Israeli prime minister indicated he was on board with Trump’s plan for the Palestinian territory
  • Meanwhile, Graham noted that Netanyahu told the group on Monday that the biggest threat to Israel is a nuclear-armed Iran, which backs Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis

Speaking to reporters after a day of meetings with the Israeli prime minister and defense minister as well as the speaker of the Knesset, Graham noted that Arab leaders are set to meet imminently in Saudi Arabia to draft a plan to present to Trump that would would enable Palestinians to leave the territory if they choose or stay in Gaza for reconstruction following the now 16-month-old war. 

“I'm quite optimistic the Arab world will come up with a plan and present to President Trump that shows how you can provide security to Israel and deal with the Palestinian issue without driving them all out,”  the South Carolina Republican, who has expressed some skepticism of Trump’s plan for the territory since the president unveiled it at a White House press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told reporters.

Also a part in the bipartisan delegation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who met earlier in the trip with Jordan’s King Adbullah II, said he was “convinced” that Arab leaders have a “really realistic appraisal” of what their role should be in the post-war future of the region. 

“The encouraging point here is that the Arab states will be presenting a plan to the president,” Blumenthal said. “My talks with King Abdullah convinced me that the plan that the Arab states will offer to President Trump provides a realistic prospect for normalizing relations, self determination by the Palestinians, regional defense arrangements and security for Israel.” 

It comes one day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Netanyahu in Israel, after which the top U.S. diplomat declared that Hamas “must be eradicated” and the Israeli prime minister indicated he was on board with Trump’s plan for the Palestinian territory. Rubio was in Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he discussed the war and the future of the region with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and others. 

Trump himself hosted the Jordanian king at the White House last week, as he doubled down on his insistence he will convince neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians as part of his proposal for the Gaza Strip, even as Arab leaders publically pushed back.

Abdullah treaded carefully on the subject last week while seated next to the U.S. president, saying those involved have to discuss how they “make this work in a way that is good for everybody” before announcing a plan to take in 2,000 sick children from Gaza. 

Meanwhile, Graham noted that Netanyahu told the group on Monday that the biggest threat to Israel is a nuclear-armed Iran, which backs Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. 

The South Carolina senator said he was “urging” the Trump administration to put Iran “on the clock” and tell them what outcome it wants if it first follows the path of trying to negotiate with Tehran. 

“I think the chance of successfully negotiating Iran out of their nuclear ambitions is about like me being in the NBA – it’s possible but I don’t think it’s gonna happen,” Graham said. 

He went on to argue that if negotiations do not work, the Trump administration needs to “quickly pivot” to give Israel the tools it needs to deliver a strike on the Iran nuclear program. 

Earlier this month, Trump stressed that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon but said he would “prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement.” 

“Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens,” ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED,” he added in a post on his social media site, Truth Social.

The other senators who took part in the bipartisan trip included Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Andy Kim, D-N.J. The group mentioned Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, was also on the trip.