President Biden said Tuesday he will nominate former Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel, moving to fill a key diplomatic post that has been vacant since midsummer.
Mr. Biden chose Mr. Lew, 68, at a critical time for U.S.-Israel relations. The administration has clashed repeatedly with the conservative, nationalist government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a major judicial overhaul plan, policy toward Iran and the Netanyahu coalition’s troubled dealings with the Palestinians.
If confirmed, Mr. Lew will also be taking up his post as the White House tries to build on the Trump administration’s Abraham Accords to end Israel’s diplomatic isolation in the region, pressing for a breakthrough deal to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
While U.S. officials say the bilateral relationship remains solid, some Democrats boycotted a Capitol Hill visit from Israel’s president. After a lengthy delay, Mr. Biden invited Mr. Netanyahu for the traditional Oval Office visit for new Israeli leaders, but the meeting has yet to take place more than nine months after the new Israeli government was sworn in.
The coolness and remarks from progressive lawmakers sparked cross-claims of antisemitism between the parties even as Congress tried to celebrate this year’s 75th anniversary of Israel’s statehood.
Mr. Lew, an Orthodox Jew who has never served in a diplomatic post before, will face a Senate confirmation process that will likely revive the debate around Mr. Biden’s approach to Israel. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Mr. Netanyahu on Tuesday.
A State Department readout did not mention Mr. Lew, though it said Mr. Blinken “reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral partnership and U.S. commitment to Israel’s security.”
“The secretary and prime minister discussed mutual interests, including expanding Israel’s regional integration and countering threats posed by Iran,” department spokesman Matthew Miller said. “The secretary reiterated continued U.S. support for policies that ensure freedom, security and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Mr. Lew is no stranger to lofty government positions. He served as Treasury secretary under President Obama when Mr. Biden was vice president, from 2013 to 2017.
Mr. Lew previously served as Mr. Obama’s chief of staff and as director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Obama and Clinton administrations. Currently, Mr. Lew is the managing partner of Lindsay Goldberg LLC and a visiting professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University.
If confirmed, Mr. Lew would replace Stephanie Hallett, a career diplomat who took over the ambassador position on an interim basis after Ambassador Thomas Nides stepped down in July.
Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was pleased with the selection.
“Jack is a great fit for the post at an important moment in U.S.-Israel relations. I look forward to his swift, bipartisan confirmation,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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