Former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is President Joe Biden’s top pick to become the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, a nomination expected to spark a fierce Senate confirmation battle in the run-up to the upcoming election year.
While a final decision has not been made, Lew is the only candidate currently undergoing vetting, with the intention that Biden will announce the nomination in the coming weeks, according to reporting from Axios. The report indicated the administration wants to fill the post quickly due to a major diplomatic deal with Saudi Arabia that could include a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
UP FOR DEBATE: WHERE TRUMP, DESANTIS, AND REST OF REPUBLICAN 2024 FIELD STAND ON KEY ISSUES
Former Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides left the position about three weeks ago, and the embassy is being managed by Deputy Ambassador Stephanie Hallett. Nides announced his intention to leave his position at the beginning of May.
Nides’s successor will need to be prepared to navigate a delicate political situation, managing the relationship between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The looming appointment comes at a time when U.S.- Israel relations are growing tense due to ideological differences between Netanyahu’s far-right government and the Biden administration.
Lew is an Orthodox Jew who served as former President Barack Obama’s chief of staff and as treasury secretary. Lew has been involved in Israel-related issues and assisted Obama with security assistance to the country. He also was involved in helping to craft and enforce the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama years, which could be a tough pill to swallow for some GOP senators.
Regardless of Biden’s pick, any appointment is expected to face headwinds from Senate Republicans who have been critical of the administration’s policies toward Israel. That person will also face a complex political environment as Netanyahu implements an overhaul of the judicial system that is opposed by the Biden administration and some Israelis, which Republicans likely will seize on during the confirmation process.
“A nominee like Lew should expect every single foreign policy decision from the previous administration he worked for to be brought up during confirmation,” said a Senate Republican aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity in an effort to reflect candidly on the situation.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tim Scott (R-SC), members of the Foreign Relations Committee, have been some of the most outspoken critics of the Biden administration’s policies on Israel and Iran and likely would highlight Lew’s work on the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal. The criticism is also likely to renew focus on the administration’s recent move to pay $10 billion dollars in order to secure the release of five U.S. citizens from Iran.
Getting Lew’s nomination across the finish line in a timely manner could also be challenging due to the number of must-pass bills the Senate needs to accomplish once they return from the August recess. The upper chamber will be focused on clearing appropriations bills in time before a potential government shutdown at the end of September.