Tensions flared Wednesday on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the confirmation hearing for Jacob J. Lew, who is President Biden’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel, as he rebutted accusations from Republicans that he’s an Iranian sympathizer.
The former Obama-era Treasury secretary defended his prior actions and denied suggestions from GOP critics that he would fail to stand up against the Islamist Republic amid heightened scrutiny over Tehran’s funding of terror groups like Hamas.
Mr. Lew told lawmakers that his “reputation as someone who stands with Israel is beyond question.”
“I want to be clear: Iran is a threat to regional stability and to Israel’s existence,” he said. “If confirmed, I will uphold President Biden’s commitment to deny Iran a nuclear weapon and warning to the region that anyone who’s thinking of taking advantage of the current crisis — don’t.”
Three pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the opening minutes of the hearing separately and were removed by Capitol Police. They shouted for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and condemned the civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip from Israeli airstrikes.
With no current ambassador to Israel, Senate Democrats are racing to confirm Mr. Lew in the coming weeks as the U.S. ally wages counter-attacks against Hamas. But Republican opposition could present a delay, despite the Democratic-led chamber likely having the simple majority votes required.
Republicans are scrutinizing Mr. Lew for what they say is a pattern of “appeasement” toward Iran under Mr. Obama.
“Not only will you need to support Israel as it responds to these attacks, but also as it contends with the enduring, and indeed existential, Iranian threat, which I think is an underlying and foundational issue here,” said Sen. James Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the committee. “I have reservations about your ability to do that.”
In 2016, Mr. Lew greenlighted a $400 million cash transfer to Iran under a $1.7 billion settlement of a dispute over a decades-old arms deal. Republicans say Mr. Lew at best misled and at worst lied to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the year prior about the Iran Nuclear Deal and failed throughout his tenure to crack down on Iran with sanctions.
Mr. Lew defended the Obama administration for abstaining from a 2016 United Nations resolution that condemned Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory, another point of frustration for Republicans.
Mr. Risch accused Mr. Lew of “holding hands with Iran under the table” as Treasury secretary. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia later shot back in Mr. Lew’s defense: “If that were the case, [Lew] wouldn’t be on the list of those who have been sanctioned by Iran.”
Mr. Lew testified that the Obama-era Iran Nuclear Deal “did not lift the sanctions on terrorism” by unfreezing assets in exchange for rolling back Tehran’s nuclear program, a deal that Republicans say enabled Iranian-backed terrorism. Then-President Donald Trump later withdrew from the agreement.
He denied that the deal welcomed Iran back into the global financial system, said he enforced new sanctions, and said any money that went to Iran was meant for humanitarian purposes.
Mr. Lew said he defended the decision on the U.N. resolution at the direction of the Obama White House to prevent a harsher condemnation of Israel by the international body.
“I believe deeply that the U.N. needs to be fair and not condemn Israel and ignore actions of terrorist groups like Hamas,” Mr. Lew said. “It’s not right for the U.N. to adopt resolutions that single Israel out.”
The Biden administration has temporarily withheld $6 billion in Iranian oil assets earmarked for humanitarian relief that were part of a prisoner exchange in September to free five Americans.
Sen. Mitt Romney, Utah Republican, said the money “strikes me as an entirely disingenuous way to disguise the fact we’re providing funds to a state sponsor of terror.”
Mr. Lew said he “can’t say there’s no leakage” of such humanitarian aid that ends up supporting terrorism, but that it “won’t change the thrust of what they do.” He later conceded those remarks were “not a great answer” but were an honest assessment.
Mr. Lew did not appear to change the minds of any Senate Republicans. None on the panel signaled they planned to support sending his confirmation to the full chamber, a committee vote for which is slated for next week. Mr. Lew is expected to advance with only Democratic support.
He was confirmed by the Senate 71-26 in 2013 to become Treasury secretary under Mr. Obama, which included the support of 20 Republicans.
One of those Republicans was North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven. He told The Washington Times on Wednesday that he will not support Mr. Lew this time around.
“We want an ambassador … but we’re concerned he’s the wrong guy,” Mr. Hoeven said. “We need someone in there who will take a tough stance on Iran. We put sanctions in place under President Obama and they didn’t put maximum pressure, they didn’t enforce those sanctions without waivers.”
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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