Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) snapped at a reporter who asked Democratic senators visiting Israel to respond to a tweet by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) that blamed Israel for bombing a hospital in Gaza last week.
Daniel Cohen, an Israel correspondent for Newsmax, asked if any Democrats on the 10-member delegation in Tel Aviv wanted to respond to Tlaib’s tweet, which has not been deleted despite evidence that the deadly hospital blast was caused by a rocket fired by a Palestinian group.
Graham quickly cut him off in response.
“Stop, no,” Graham said as Cohen pushed further. “Stop!”
Cohen pressed further, saying that it was a “fair question.”
“We are here together not to talk about the problems at home, which are many,” Graham said, before Cohen persisted.
“I have my own view of what to say, you’re not going to screw this up,” Graham said. Cohen maintained that he was not “trying to screw it up.”
Graham then called to “get this guy out of here.” The two continued to argue before Graham said that people should not judge lawmakers based on what others within their party say.
“And I believe in free speech. I don’t believe what the Squad has to say at all. But I came here with Democrats and Republicans to let everybody in the world know, don’t judge every Democrat by the Squad, and don’t judge every Republican by some of the things you hear,” Graham said.
The senator quickly seemed to back down from his request to remove the reporter, and apologized for his outburst. “And I’m sorry, my friend. I probably shouldn’t have said it, but my nerves are raw right now,” Graham said.
Tlaib’s post on X is now labeled with a community note pointing to Associated Press analysis that the blast was caused by an errant rocket fired within Palestinian territory. Israeli and United States intelligence officials have pointed blame at the Islamic Jihad group.
However, initial reports on the blast at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the Gaza Strip relied largely on public statements from Hamas blaming Israel air strikes for the explosion. The New York Times on Monday said it relied too much on information from Hamas in its initial reporting and could be more careful moving forward.
Still, the hospital blast has fueled anger across the Arab world as Israel pounds the Gaza Strip with air strikes. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported Monday that 5,000 Palestinians have died so far in the conflict in Gaza, including an estimated 2,055 children and 1,119 women, with more than 15,000 injured.
The aerial assault is a response to the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, when militants stormed across the border and slaughtered civilians. Israeli officials place the total death toll from that attack at more than 1,400, while Hamas also took more than 200 hostages, four of which have reportedly been released.
The Biden administration has proposed billions in military aid for Israel as part of a $106 billion supplemental spending package that also includes money for Ukraine and U.S. border security.
However, the House is still without a Speaker, leaving Congress in legislative gridlock. Graham said Sunday he was hopeful the House would “get their act together.”
“We need to do our job in the Senate. We need to pass a bill that will help Israel, help Ukraine. That’s at least what I think. I think the House will show up,” he said.