Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that he’s in a “state of shock” following the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Saturday night. “Lindsey was so vibrant,” Netanyahu told moderator Kristen Welker. “He was so full of life. He was so full of energy and dedication that it’s hard to accept the fact that he is no more. I think America has lost a great patriot. Israel has lost one of the great champions of the American-Israeli alliance. And frankly, I’ve lost a beloved friend who I’ve had for many decades. There’s just no one like him.” Welker said she had spoken to Graham throughout the week before his death, adding that “he thought that a more robust military operation was needed in this moment, after President Trump had declared the ceasefire over.” “Do you agree with that? Are you on the same page with President Trump about that? How do you see this moving forward?” she asked Netanyahu. “I think President Trump wants to exhaust the possibility of achieving an agreement, especially on the nuclear issue, through negotiations. But he is obviously not shy of using force when the Iranians break every commitment they make, and usually a few hours or a few minutes after they make it,” Netanyahu replied. “So I think we should let the president have his opportunity.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham while appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" on July 12, 2026.YouTube/GettyHe also expressed gratitude “that America and Israel joined forces to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, not only against us, but against the entire West, and against the United States,” arguing that “people don’t understand how close that was.” Netanyahu’s response comes amid mixed messaging from the Trump administration over Iran’s nuclear capabilities and compliance with international inspectors amid ongoing, shaky negotiations between the U.S. and Tehran. He then told Welker that Graham approached him about the issue. “I think that Lindsey was unabashed. He talked to me about it. He said, ‘You know, you have to do it. You have to do it.’ He came to me and said, ‘Bibi, you have to do it. You have to knock out this nuclear weapons program before they knock us out.’ He was very clear about that,” Netanyahu continued. He then compared Graham’s disposition to the president’s. “By the way, as was President Trump throughout the many years that I’ve known him — so he didn’t move, you know? [Graham] didn’t say, ‘Oh well, maybe it’s not fashionable to say it now. Maybe public opinion has turned against it.’ He couldn’t care less. I mean, he was aware of it, but it didn’t change his convictions.” Netanyahu added that Graham “did what he thought was good for America, and he thought that a strong Israel is good for a strong America, and vice versa, of course.” Watch Netanyahu’s appearance on “Meet the Press” below. Skip to the 0:16 mark to hear his comments about Graham.