Netanyahu salutes McCain: His support for Israel never wavered

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saluted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 81, writing that the senator’s support for Israel never wavered.

“It was with great sorrow that I received the news of the death of John McCain, a great American patriot and a true friend of Israel,” Netanyahu wrote on Twitter Sunday morning. “His consistent support for Israel stemmed from his belief in the values of democracy and freedom.”

“The State of Israel salutes John McCain,” Netanyahu added. “I will always cherish in his steadfast friendship towards Israel and me personally.”

בצער רב קיבלתי את הבשורה על מותו של ג’ון מקיין, פטריוט אמריקני גדול וידיד אמת של ישראל. תמיד אוקיר בלבי את הידידות האיתנה שלו כלפי עם ישראל וכלפיי באופן אישי. תמיכתו העקבית בישראל נבעה מאמונתו בערכי הדמוקרטיה והחופש. מדינת ישראל מצדיעה לג’ון מקיין pic.twitter.com/VijCckW71n

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) August 26, 2018

McCain was a staunch defender of Israel and firm in his stance on national security issues.

The Armed Services Committee chairman consistently pushed for higher caps on defense spending, playing a key role in preserving the national security budget in the 2011 Budget Control Act.

He was also one of President Obama’s harshest critics, particularly on foreign policy, and has gone after President Trump.

After the Helsinki summit in July, when Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin over the American intelligence community, the senator called Trump’s behavior “disgraceful” and the summit a “tragic mistake.”