In a heated exchange during a bipartisan visit to Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) engaged in a fiery confrontation with Newsmax reporter Daniel Cohen, who attempted to steer the discussion towards criticism of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and her remarks about the al-Ahli Arab hospital attack in Israel. The incident occurred during a press briefing held in Tel Aviv, where senators gathered to show support for Israel.

The confrontation escalated to a point where Graham vehemently yelled at Cohen, demanding his removal from the briefing, enraged by Cohen's attempt to divert the discussion to domestic matters. Despite Graham's insistence, Israeli security officials refused to remove Cohen from the premises.

Cohen, an American who immigrated to Israel with his family two years ago, expressed his gratitude to the senators for their support but then raised the issue of Tlaib's controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) from October 17. In that post, Tlaib had blamed Israel for the Gaza hospital bombing, despite subsequent intelligence reports suggesting otherwise.

Senator Graham, however, immediately shut down Cohen's line of questioning, asserting that the purpose of their gathering was to focus on their united support for Israel, rather than get embroiled in domestic disputes. Graham firmly stated, "We are here together, not to talk about the problems at home, which are many... Get this guy out of here."

Graham later clarified that while he may not align with "The Squad," which includes Tlaib, he values freedom of speech and believes in the bipartisan show of support for Israel among the senators present.

Following the tense interaction, Cohen expressed his disappointment in the senators' reluctance to criticize Tlaib and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who had also made similar statements on social media.

In response to Cohen's remarks, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) stated her difficulty in understanding why any individual, including members of Congress, would refrain from condemning the actions of Hamas, mentioning the October 7 attack that claimed the lives of over 1,400 Israelis.

Joining Graham at the press conference were several senators from both sides of the aisle, including Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dan Sullivan (D-AK), and John Thune (R-SD). The senators united in their stance of showing support and solidarity with Israel in the face of recent events.

The clash between Graham and Cohen highlights the intense polarization surrounding discussions about Israel and draws attention to the challenges of maintaining unity during bipartisan events. The incident also underscores the ongoing debate over freedom of speech and the delicate balance between engaging in important conversations and staying focused on the intended objectives of such events.