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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) hurled rare criticism against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for tapping a critic of President Trump to helm one of the Jewish state’s top three spy agencies.
Netanyahu had named Navy commander Vice Adm. (res.) Eli Sharvit as his pick to help the country’s Shin Bet security service, though rumors quickly swirled that the PM was considering backtracking on that nomination in the wake of pressure from Washington.
Shin Bet, which deals with internal security, is one of Israel’s top intelligence agencies alongside Aman; which deals with military intelligence; and Mossad, which handles foreign intelligence.
Sharvit previously penned an op-ed tearing into President Trump’s climate change policies, arguing that the US president’s “shortsightedness sends a shocking message to the world of disregard for scientific reality, the well-being of humanity, and responsibility to future generations.”
Graham urged his “Israeli friends” to “change course and do better vetting.”
“While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic,” Graham wrote on X.
“There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his polices will create unnecessary stress at a critical time.”
So far, Trump has been quiet in the public eye about Sharvit’s nomination. Graham remains a close Senate ally to Trump and a staunch supporter of Israel in the Senate.
In addition to his swipes against Trump, Sharvit also participated in the demonstrations that swept Israel in 2023 against efforts to overhaul the country’s judicial system.
Internally, allies of Netanyahu have also been critical of the PM’s decision to tap Sharvit to lead Shin Bet.
The Israeli cabinet has been trying to replace current Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, amid concerns about whether he can be trusted as well as tension between him and Netanyahu.
But courts intervened and imposed an injunction against the move to dismiss Bar. Netaynayahu’s administration has been trying to push Bar out by April 10.
Netanyahu’s bid to tap Sharvit to helm Shin Bet appears to have been a calculated move amid headaches from the courts.
Despite Graham’s quibbles with the vetting process, the prime minister’s office suggested that Netanyahu was personally involved with the vetting.
“After conducting in-depth interviews with seven worthy candidates, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to appoint former Israel Navy Commander, Vice-Admiral Eli Sharvit, as the next Director of the ISA,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
“Vice-Admiral Sharvit has served in the IDF for 36 years, including five years as Commander of the Israel Navy,” the statement continued. “In that position, he led the force building of the maritime defense of the territorial waters and conducted complex operations against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.”
