US Senator Lindsey Graham urges military strikes if Hamas and Hezbollah do not disarm, criticises Turkey’s role in a proposed Gaza stabilisation force.
JERUSALEM: US Senator Lindsey Graham has called for renewed military action against Hamas and Hezbollah if they fail to disarm.
The Republican senator, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, made the remarks during a visit to Israel on Sunday.
He accused the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas of consolidating its power in Gaza despite a fragile ceasefire that began in October.
“It’s imperative we come up with a plan quickly, put Hamas on a time clock, give them a period of time to achieve the goal of disarmament,” Graham said at a press conference.
“And if you don’t, I would encourage President Trump to unleash Israel to go finish off Hamas.”
Graham insisted the second stage of the Gaza truce would fail if Hamas remains armed.
“Ninety days after the ceasefire, they are consolidating power in Gaza,” he stated.
He also called for military engagement against Lebanon’s Hezbollah if it refuses to surrender its weapons.
“If Hezbollah refuses to give up their heavy weapons, down the road we should engage in military operations working with Lebanon, Israel and the United States, where we fly with Israel… to take Hezbollah out,” Graham said.
Israel has made dismantling the arsenals of both Iran-aligned groups a key condition for any lasting peace.
Graham backed Israel’s opposition to Turkey being included in a proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza.
“There is no political support anywhere in Israel for having Turkey being involved in the stabilising force,” he said, adding it would “rock Israel to its core”.
His comments came a day after mediators from the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey urged both sides to uphold the Gaza ceasefire.
The proposed second phase of the truce involves an Israeli withdrawal, an international force, and an interim authority to replace Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas has called on mediators to stop Israeli “violations” of the ceasefire.
On Sunday, Israeli artillery shelling was reported in several parts of Gaza’s southern Khan Yunis area, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency. – AFP
