Biden nominates former Clinton Treasury Secretary as new ambassador to Israel

President Biden announced Tuesday his intention to nominate former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew as the administration’s new ambassador to Israel.

Lew, who previously served as the White House Chief of Staff, Office of Management and Budget Director and the U.S. Treasury Secretary for President Obama, is replacing U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides, who exited the position in July, according to a statementreleased by The White House.

A longtime experienced veteran official, Lew also held a position as Director for the Office of Management and Budget under President Bill Clinton from 1999-2001.

“In both Administrations, he was a principal at the National Security Council. Earlier, as Special Assistant to President Clinton, he was one of the architects of the national service program, AmeriCorps. Prior to joining the Obama-Biden Administration, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer for two Citigroup business units,” the White House said.

If confirmed by the Senate, Lew would be taking the ambassadorship at a challenging time for U.S.-Israel relations, as the Biden administration has openly expressed criticism of Israel's recent judicial reforms, calling prayer at Judaism's holiest site "unacceptable," among other things.

The Biden administration is also encouraging for Israel to normalize its relationship with Saudi Arabia.

The push to extend relations with Saudi Arabia comes after the Trump administration enacted the "Abraham Accords," which normalized relations between the Jewish State, Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

Lew has an Ivy League education and his former professional background hails mostly from foreign relations in New York and Washington.

“Earlier he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of New York University and a professor of public administration in the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service,” The White House statement reads.

“He currently chairs the board of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, is co-president of the board of the National Library of Israel USA and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned an A.B. degree from Harvard and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University.”