US President Joe Biden has decided to nominate former treasury secretary Jack Lew to be the country’s next ambassador to Israel, a White House spokesperson told The Times of Israel on Tuesday.
Having served on former president Barack Obama’s cabinet and as his White House chief of staff, the 68-year-old Lew would be the most distinguished political appointee to fill the sensitive post in Jerusalem.
Biden’s decision to nominate anyone at all, exposing his administration to a Senate confirmation process that Republicans will likely turn into a referendum on the president’s Israel policies as the 2024 presidential campaign kicks into gear, demonstrates the seriousness with which he takes the US-Israel relationship, a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. READ MORE