Current:Home > InvestSenate confirms Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel in 53-43 vote-InfoLens
Senate confirms Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel in 53-43 vote
View Date:2024-12-23 14:41:19
Washington — The Senate confirmed former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel on Tuesday, quickly approving his nomination amid the war in Gaza.
The Senate voted 53-43 to confirm Lew, with Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky breaking with their party to join all Democrats in supporting him.
"The Senate, I'm proud to say, has now taken an extremely important step in our support of Israel," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor after the vote. "With Israel defending itself against Hamas, this ambassadorship is as important and timely as any nomination that the Senate has confirmed in a long time."
President Biden nominated Lew in September amid strained relations between the U.S. and its key ally over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial plans to overhaul Israel's judicial system and settlement expansion in the West Bank.
The Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas increased the urgency in confirming Mr. Biden's pick. The U.S. has not had an ambassador in Israel since July, when Tom Nides stepped down after nearly two years on the job.
Lew's confirmation came despite Republican opposition over his role in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under President Barack Obama. During his confirmation hearing, Lew was grilled by Republicans on lifting sanctions on Iran as part of the agreement. Lew served as treasury secretary from 2013 to 2017.
"I want to be clear, Iran is a threat to regional stability and to Israel's existence," Lew told senators.
When asked about restarting nuclear talks with Iran, Lew said that it's not the appropriate time to be negotiating with the country, which provides weapons and funding to Hamas.
"I believe deeply that an agreement to not have nuclear weapons would be a good thing. But this is not the moment," he said.
Iran is not "a rational economic player" but "an evil, malign government that funds its evil and malign activities," he told lawmakers.
Ahead of the confirmation vote, Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Lew is the "wrong person at the wrong time in the wrong place."
"We're at an important moment in history with the events in Israel," the Idaho Republican said. "This makes the stakes so much higher and important that we get it right. I believe it means we should take the time to get it right."
Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said he has heard directly from Israeli leadership that "they're very much looking forward to" Lew serving as the top American diplomat in Jerusalem.
Paul was the only Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to vote with Democrats in advancing his nomination last week.
"After meeting personally with Jack Lew, I found him to be a thoughtful individual who will strive to do his best to represent the United States in Israel," Paul said in a statement. "I also believe it to be important to have an ambassador during the current crisis in Israel."
Before leading the Treasury Department, Lew served as Obama's chief of staff and as the director of the Office of Management and Budget in both the Clinton and Obama administrations.
Since leaving the Obama administration, Lew has been managing partner at Lindsay Goldberg LLC, a visiting professor at Columbia University, a co-president of the board of the National Library of Israel USA and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
- In:
- United States Senate
- Israel
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hausofcait
TwitterveryGood! (4)
Related
- Jana Duggar Reveals She's Adjusting to City Life Amid Move Away From Farm
- Selena Gomez Shares One Piece of Advice She Would Give Her Younger Self
- Streets of mud: Helene dashes small town's hopes in North Carolina
- Social media star MrBallen talks new book, Navy SEALs, mental health
- Brianna LaPaglia Addresses Zach Bryan's Deafening Silence After Emotional Abuse Allegations
- Streets of mud: Helene dashes small town's hopes in North Carolina
- Who are the 2024 MacArthur ‘genius grant’ fellows?
- DreamWorks Animation at 30: Painting a bright path forward with ‘The Wild Robot’
- Rōki Sasaki is coming to MLB: Dodgers the favorite to sign Japanese ace for cheap?
- Louisiana governor supports bringing back tradition of having a live tiger at LSU football games
Ranking
- See Chris Evans' Wife Alba Baptista Show Her Sweet Support at Red One Premiere
- Proof Hailey Bieber Is Keeping Her and Justin Bieber's Baby Close to Her Chest
- Horoscopes Today, September 29, 2024
- Dartmouth College naming center in memory of football coach Teevens
- 'Dangerous and unsanitary' conditions at Georgia jail violate Constitution, feds say
- Powerball winning numbers for September 30: Jackpot rises to $258 million
- Harris will tour Helene devastation in Georgia, North Carolina as storm scrambles campaign schedule
- Fantasy football Week 5: Trade value chart and rest of season rankings
Recommendation
-
Olivia Munn Says She “Barely Knew” John Mulaney When She Got Pregnant With Their Son
-
Sydney Sweeney's Expert Tips to Upgrade Your Guy's Grooming Routine
-
LeBron James Reacts to Making Debut With Son Bronny James as Lakers Teammates
-
Is there such thing as healthy coffee creamer? How to find the best option.
-
Where you retire could affect your tax bill. Here's how.
-
Kristin Cavallari Says Custody Arrangement With Ex Jay Cutler Has Changed
-
Wildfires in California have burned 1 million acres so far this year. Heat wave poses more risk
-
Dating today is a dumpster fire. Here’s a guide to viral toxic terms.