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Nides advances to final stage of confirmation for US ambassador to Israel

Thomas Nides cleared the second-to-last hurdle before being official.

Thomas Nides. Credit: U.S. Department of State.
Thomas Nides. Credit: U.S. Department of State.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s pick for the role of U.S. ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, this week cleared the second-to-last hurdle before official confirmation.

Nides, who was officially nominated in July, was reported favorably from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which conducted hearings on his nomination on Sept. 22.

He has now been scheduled for a final confirmation vote by the full Senate.

Nides, 60, has held prominent roles in the private and public sphere, including serving as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources between 2010-13.

On the same day that the committee approved Nides’ nomination, it failed to move forward on Biden’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, current National Security Council adviser Barbara Leaf.

Leaf’s nomination was put on hold by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), according to Politico.

The U.S. president spoke after a reporter asked him if Riyadh should accept Israeli assistance in fighting Iran’s Houthi proxy group.
“Anyone who attempts to pose a threat or attack Israel will face devastating consequences,” said Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the global body.
“For the love of God, if Israel is not capable of creating an investigation committee, then I think it is suitable and appropriate that the good people of the United States, the people in Congress, do provide us the answers that we’re looking for,” Ruby Chen said.
Judy Schwank told JNS that “if we can get it through both bodies and get it to the governor’s desk, he will sign it.”