President Joe Biden has named former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew as the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, the White House announced Tuesday.
If confirmed by the Senate, Lew would hold one of the most significant US diplomatic posts at a time when the United States is trying to persuade Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations. This comes after Washington brokered a deal under Donald Trump’s administration through which Israel normalized ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.
A normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the richest and most powerful Arab country, could reshape the Middle East and enhance Israel’s standing. However, it is a difficult task, as the Kingdom has stated that it will not recognize Israel until the Palestinian issue is resolved.
Lew is currently a partner at the investment firm Lindsay Goldberg and a visiting professor at Columbia University in New York.
He is also Executive Chair of the National Committee for US-China Relations, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Library of Israel USA, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Lew has also served as managing director and chief operating officer of two Citigroup entities. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at New York University and Professor of Public Administration at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.
