Current:Home > Contact-usSenate confirms Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel in 53-43 vote-LoTradeCoin
Senate confirms Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel in 53-43 vote
View Date:2024-12-23 20:00:16
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! (41)
Related
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- Georgia State sends out 1,500 mistaken acceptance letters, retracts them
- How PLL's Sasha Pieterse Learned to Manage Her PCOS and Love Her Body Again
- New Jersey legislators advance bill overhauling state’s open records law
- GM recalling big pickups and SUVs because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing risk of a crash
- Pro-Palestinian protesters demand endowment transparency. But its proving not to be simple
- Georgia Supreme Court declines to rule on whether counties can draw their own electoral maps
- Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe fired after another early playoff exit
- Jason Kelce collaborates with Stevie Nicks for Christmas duet: Hear the song
- Nelly Korda chasing history, at 3-under after first round at Cognizant Founders Cup
Ranking
- Ryan Reynolds Clarifies Taylor Swift’s Role as Godmother to His Kids With Blake Lively
- GM is retiring the Chevrolet Malibu, once a top-seller in the U.S.
- Cancer-causing chemicals ban signed into law in Colorado, 13th state to bar PFAS products
- To the single woman, past 35, who longs for a partner and kids on Mother's Day
- Utah AD Mark Harlan rips officials following loss to BYU, claims game was 'stolen from us'
- Why some health experts are making the switch from coffee to cocoa powder
- Search ongoing for 2 missing skiers 'trapped' in avalanche near Salt Lake City, sheriff says
- These Weekend Bags Under $65 Look So Much More Expensive Than They Actually Are
Recommendation
-
At age 44, Rich Hill's baseball odyssey continues - now with Team USA
-
Scores of starving and sick pelicans are found along the California coast
-
Pro-Palestinian protesters demand endowment transparency. But its proving not to be simple
-
Oprah reveals new book club pick Long Island by Colm Tóibín: Read a free excerpt
-
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul press conference highlights: 'Problem Child' goads 'Iron Mike'
-
TikToker Kimberley Nix Dead at 31
-
A school district removed Confederate names from buildings. Now, they might put them back
-
Airman shot by deputy doted on little sister and aimed to buy mom a house, family says