Israel war: Joe Manchin backs Jack Lew for Israel ambassador

Crucial centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he supports President Joe Biden’s pick for ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, on Tuesday, likely earning Lew the votes needed for confirmation as tensions continue to increase in the Middle East.

Manchin touted Lew as “an honest and straightforward person throughout his many years in public service” in a statement Tuesday and said the two have remained friends for years despite disagreeing on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. However, Lew has agreed to enforce and strengthen sanctions against Iran for its role in the Hamas attack against Israel on Oct. 7, according to Manchin.

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“As we see daily the ramifications of that attack, we should all remember that Hamas is a terrorist organization that uses innocent Palestinians in Gaza to shield themselves and their weapons, while Israel uses their weapons to protect their people,” Manchin said. “I look forward to supporting Jack’s nomination for ambassador to Israel, and it’s essential that the Senate act on his nomination quickly so he can go to Israel and get to work immediately.”

Biden nominated Lew in September to become the top diplomat to Israel. If confirmed, he will replace former Ambassador Thomas Nides, who stood down from the post in July. Lew was the director of the Office of Management and Budget under former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He was also Obama’s treasury secretary.

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With Manchin’s support, Senate Democrats can likely confirm Lew despite objections from Republicans who have also voiced concern about Lew over the Iran deal and accused Lew of being an Iran “sympathizer.”

“Jack Lew is an Iran sympathizer who has no business being our ambassador,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) told Fox News Sunday earlier this month. “It’s bad for the United States. It’s bad for Israel to have an Iran sympathizer as our ambassador to that country. … I know Democrats are saying that we need to confirm Jack Lew quickly to show our support for Israel. I would say it’s the exact opposite. We need to defeat Jack Lew’s nomination to show that we have a new approach to Iran.”

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Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) has pushed the Senate to confirm Lew quickly, claiming Israel is “in critical need of a Senate-confirmed U.S. ambassador, and nominee Jack Lew is ready to serve.”

Democrats hold the majority in the Senate.