President Joe Biden announced Tuesday morning the nomination of Jack Lew, President Barack Obama's Treasury Secretary, as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
"Jacob J. Lew is managing partner of Lindsay Goldberg LLC and a visiting professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. Among the highlights of his long and distinguished career in public service, Lew served as Secretary of the Treasury for President Obama and had broad responsibilities for economic diplomacy. In addition, he held positions as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and as Chief of Staff for the President. Lew was the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), a position he also held in President Clinton's Cabinet from 1998 to 2001," the White House released in a statement. "In both Administrations, he was a principal at the National Security Council. Earlier, as Special Assistant to President Clinton, he was one of the architects of the national service program, Americorps. Prior to joining the Obama-Biden Administration, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer for two Citigroup business units. Earlier he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of New York University and a professor of public administration in the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He currently chairs the board of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, is co-president of the board of the National Library of Israel USA and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned an A.B. degree from Harvard and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University."
Lew will replace U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, who announced he was resigning from the position earlier this year.
My final Shabbat Shalom!!!
— Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Stephanie Hallett (@USAmbIsrael) July 14, 2023
I want to thank everyone who has been on this journey with me.
I loved my time here in Israel.
Being the U.S. Ambassador to Israel has been a dream come true 🇺🇸🇮🇱
I want to wish all of you, a very heartfelt, Shabbat Shalom. pic.twitter.com/VeiRw8kKNz
Members of Congress are already pushing back on the nomination, citing Lew's working under Obama on the disastrous and dangerous Iran nuclear agreement.
.@POTUS must rethink his nomination of Jack Lew for U.S. ambassador to Israel, considering his role in crafting the failed Iran nuclear deal & his open criticism of Israel's prime minister. We need an ambassador that will champion our relationship with Israel, not harm it. https://t.co/CitUAVrbir
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) September 1, 2023
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