Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Jack Lew, US ex-treasury secretary and Obama chief of staff, tapped as Israel envoy

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