According to Israeli sources cited by The Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu will depart for Washington on Saturday night and is expected to remain in the U.S. capital until Tuesday to attend Graham’s funeral.
Plans to Meet Trump
Sources said Netanyahu intends to meet with President Trump during the visit, although no official meeting has yet been scheduled. The trip would mark Netanyahu’s first official visit to Washington since his previous trip in February.
Funeral Is the Main Purpose of the Visit
According to the sources, the primary purpose of Netanyahu’s visit is to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on Sunday following what was described as a “brief and sudden illness.”
Following news of Graham’s death, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, issued a statement expressing their sorrow. Graham frequently met with Netanyahu during the Israeli leader’s visits to the United States and often shared photographs from those meetings on social media.
“Israel Has Lost One of Its Greatest Friends”
In his statement, Netanyahu said:
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and the security of America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance, and standing with the free world.”
He added:
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. And I have lost a dear friend.”