On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed former Obama Treasury Secretary Jack Lew as the new U.S. ambassador to Israel. Lew comes into the job during one of the country’s largest crises in recent memory, and must coordinate U.S. support for its war against Hamas. According to The Washington Post, the vote ended 53-43, with two Republicans, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), joining Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said after the confirmation hearing that Lew was “a capable public servant, a fierce ally to Israel, and commands a broad base of trust and respect.” During the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s nomination of Lew last week, Republicans pushed back on the decision, saying he was involved in Barack Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which they argued was not hard enough on a key regional antagonist of Israel.
