No U.S. ambassador to Israel? Senate Republicans grill Biden's top pick Jack Lew

WASHINGTON − Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee grilled Israeli ambassador nominee Jack Lew Wednesday while Democrats look to expedite his confirmation as war rages on between Israel and Hamas.

The United States currently does not have a designated ambassador after Thomas Nides left the position over the summer. President Joe Biden nominated Lew for the role in September.

"I will work to strengthen Israel's security," Lew said during the hearing. "Israel is our closest partner in the region and its security is paramount."

Democrats are looking to confirm Lew as soon as possible after Hamas militants on Oct. 7 launched a surprise attack on Israel that has led to a conflict with thousands of deaths. Israeli defense forces responded, triggering a war between the country and Hamas, a terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip.

But some Republicans have signaled that Lew is not the right fit for the job, citing his past record as Treasury Secretary in former President Barack Obama's administration and as Director of the Office of Management and Budget in former President Bill Clinton's administration.

"We need this thing filled. The problem I have is it needs to be filled with the right person," Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said during the nomination hearing Wednesday. Risch serves as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Republicans are pointing to Lew's role in supporting the Obama administration's negotiations during the Iran nuclear deal and claim Lew was not transparent and misled the committee regarding transferring money to the Iran regime as Treasury secretary.

Jack Lew is 'a ferocious ally of Israel,' Schumer says

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's newly-appointed chair, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., urged his colleagues to confirm Lew given the state of emergency the country faces.

"Now is not the time to play political games," Cardin said. "We need to make sure that other nations and terrorist groups do not exploit the crisis and open new fronts in the conflict."

House Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has also urged his colleagues this week to approve Lew "without any partisan delays" to bring the nominee to the Senate floor for a full vote.

"Mr. Lew has proven himself a strong public servant, a ferocious ally of Israel, so delaying him would be egregious at a time like this. We must move him quickly and I hope we will," Schumer said Monday.

The committee will vote on Lew's confirmation next week.

Senate Republicans question Lew's involvement in Iran nuclear deal

Republicans questioned Lew on his involvement with the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama administration, specifically the role the Treasury department played in implementing the financial aspects of the deal.

Risch accused Lew of "holding hands with Iran under the table."

The former Treasury secretary defended his actions and said through the nuclear deal, the U.S. implemented a policy they negotiated with Iran to roll back its nuclear program in exchange for the country accessing money the U.S. had frozen.

"All we did was facilitate that transaction, so we did not welcome them back into the U.S. financial system," Lew told the committee.

He added the department made an agreement to return money transparently before Congress, adding that he testified at the time on the policy before the Foreign Relations committee.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has been an outspoken critic of Lew, claimed that he misused a license that helped Iran gain access to the financial system. Rubio referenced a 2018 report by the Senate subcommittee on investigations, led by former Sen. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, that outlined some of Republicans' accusations.

"I wonder how the White House could have brought forward a nomination given that report and given the clear indication that the Republican members at least, and hopefully some Democrat members as well, be troubled by and moved by the results of that report," Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said during the hearing.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Lew played a pivotal role in flooding over $100 billion to the Iranian regime which he says is a policy the Biden administration has continued.

"That policy of appeasement, sending hundreds of billions of dollars to a theocratic, homicidal, genocidal maniac...has proven catastrophic," Cruz said.

Lew responded that he does not think Cruz's claims are a fair characterization of his actions in his former role or of the Biden administration.

Protesters disrupt Lew's hearing

Three protesters interrupted Lew's nomination hearing Wednesday, exemplifying how high tensions are with the ambassadorship on the line amid a war in the Middle East.

One protester began chanting "we need a cease fire now" before being escorted out of the chamber.

"How many bombs need to be dropped?... How many children need to be killed? Our families are dying," he said, interrupting Cardin's opening remarks.

"You said stop the genocide of Palestinians.... we need a cease fire now," another woman shouted in response to Risch's opening remarks.

Lew, Israeli ambassador nominee, testifies

Lew said if confirmed, he would work to end the horrific attacks by Hamas and ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself.

"I will work to prevent other state or non-state actors from expanding this conflict to new fronts and I will coordinate with the international community to address the humanitarian crisis facing innocent civilians in Gaza who are being used as human shields by Hamas," he said.

Lew said Iran is a threat to regional stability and Israel's existence and told the committee he will uphold Biden's commitment to deny Iran a nuclear weapon.

When asked by the committee how he would help strengthen ties between the two countries if elected, Lew said he understands that without the state of Israel, Jews around the world are not safe.

"The relationship between the United States and Israel is at the core of who I am and what I believe is important for us having an ally in the region that we can count on," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senate Republicans grill Lew, Biden's top pick for Israel ambassador