US Senate Confirms Thomas Nides as Ambassador to Israel
World
Washington - Rana Abtar
The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed appointing Thomas Nides to serve as the next US ambassador to Israel, succeeding the interim chargé d'affaires, Michael Ratney, who has been running the embassy's affairs since last June. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer welcomed the endorsement, noting that the new ambassador "cares very much about strengthening the US-Israel relationship, so this will be a good day for that relationship." "I'm glad the Republican hold on Mr. Nides has been lifted," Schumer said. "I've known him for many years. He's just the right fit." Nides will assume his post at a very sensitive time for the US-Israeli relations. He will have to deal with many complex issues, notably Iran's nuclear issue after Tehran announced its return to negotiations following five months' suspension. Israel is pressuring the Biden administration to develop an alternative plan in the event of failure of the nuclear talks. The newly-appointed ambassador emphasized on several occasions that he supports the administration's strong position on seeking to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. In addition, Nides will play an essential role in tackling the crisis in Sudan, as the Biden administration seeks to push Israel to pressure the Sudanese army to end the "coup" and restore the authority of the transitional government with civilian leadership. In his approval hearing, Nides pledged to promote normalization agreements with Israel. However, Washington indicated that it would not continue to support the normalization agreement between Tel Aviv and Khartoum if the security situation in Sudan deteriorated. The approval of the new ambassador also comes at a time when the Iron Dome funding is facing many obstacles in Congress. Nides affirmed that he would seek to push Congress to approve the funding, noting that the Iron Dome protects US national security interests. Another sensitive issue is the recent US position opposing settlements in Israel after the Biden administration took a firm position in this regard. Earlier, US State Department spokesman, Ned Price, said: "We strongly oppose the expansion of settlements, which is completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm, and damages the prospects for a two-state solution." Nides' endorsement comes after the US blacklisted two Israeli technology companies on charges of espionage. Nides served as Deputy Secretary of State under former President Barack Obama and remained in close relations with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He is considered close to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klein. He began his career in Washington in 1986, and assumed several congressional offices.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3286386/us-senate-confirms-thomas-nides-ambassador-israel
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