Jacob Lew looks on during his nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be US Ambassador to Israel on October 18, 2023 at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
3:11 PM – Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Former Obama official Jack Lew has been confirmed by the Senate as the new United States ambassador to Israel.
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On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Jack Lew to be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel after a 53-43 vote with support from only two Republicans, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Lew has worked in multiple Democrat administrations, including as chief of staff to former President Barack Obama and director of the Office of Management and Budget to both Obama and then-President Bill Clinton.
In a statement justifying his support, Graham said that while there are “legitimate concerns” about Lew, having a U.S. ambassador in Israel right now is critical.
“The leaders I spoke with in the Israeli government both knew and were comfortable with Mr. Lew serving in this position,” he said. “A vote for his confirmation was not something I took lightly, but given the circumstances, I believe it is the right call.”
Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also emphasized the importance of filling the vacancy in Israel amid the current conflict.
“With everything happening in Israel right now, confirming Jack Lew at this moment will be one of the most important and consequential nomination votes the Senate has taken in a long time,” he said.
Many Republicans, however, voiced their opposition to Lew’s candidacy in the weeks leading up to his confirmation.
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) wrote in a post on X, the social media formerly known as Twitter that “as Obama’s Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was a key figure in the disastrous Iran Nuclear Deal. Iran is the chief sponsor of Hamas. Jack Lew has no business being the U.S. Ambassador to Israel.”
As Obama’s Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was a key figure in the disastrous Iran Nuclear Deal.
Iran is the chief sponsor of Hamas.
Jack Lew has no business being the US Ambassador to Israel.
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) October 16, 2023
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