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Oct. 18 (UPI) -- During a Senate hearing Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel nominee Jacob Lew urged lawmakers to rise above partisanship "in this moment" as the Israel-Gaza war rages. Appearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and under questioning from Sen. Ted Cruz, Lew said he disagreed with the Texas Republican's assertions that he had appeased Iran by supporting the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal.
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Lew, who served as the White House chief of staff and Treasury secretary during the Obama administration, also rejected Sen. Cruz's allegations that actions by the Obama and Biden administrations appeased Iran.
"I don't think your criticism of the Biden administration was a fair characterization," Lew said.
Wednesday's hearing comes as Democrats are trying to fill the position after the previous ambassador, Tom Nides, stepped down from the role over the summer.
Nides stepped down after Biden had publicly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the country's judicial system, which sparked weeks of massive protests throughout Israel.
In early September, Biden tapped Lew, 68, to fill the role.
In Wednesday's hearing, Cruz continued to accuse Lew of "appeasing" Iran and proclaimed that the arms embargo against Iran imposed by that deal expired Wednesday. He asked Lew if that makes the world safer.
Lew replied that the former administration of ex-President Donald Trump ended the Iran deal, preventing an extension of the arms embargo.
"There was no extension of the Iran nuclear deal, so there was no extension of the arms embargo that expires today," Lew replied to Cruz.
Cruz also criticized what he said were "hundreds of millions of dollars" that flowed to Gaza while Lew was in the Obama administration, something that Cruze contended helped Hamas.
But Lew challenged that.
"The funding that went to Gaza was for things like the hospital and other humanitarian assistance," he said.
Cruz used his questioning time for a partisan attack against the Obama and Biden administrations, prompting a retort from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who said she hoped the atrocities and bloody fighting underway between Israel and Hamas would not be used for such attacks.
"I hope this will not be used to sow partisan divides here in the United States and Congress," Shaheen said.
"I couldn't agree more that this should be a moment where we try our best to rise above partisanship," Lew responded.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., told Lew, "My heart is hurting, haunted by the suffering of the innocents."
She said "we are already seeing hate crimes," and cited the recent stabbing death of a 6-year-old Palestinian boy in Illinois. His mother also was injured in the attack and authorities have arrested and charged the family's landlord in the killing.
Duckworth said everyone should reject anti-semitic rhetoric, as well as hate directed against Palestinians.
"I find hatred against people abhorrent," Lew replied.
Speaking of the Israeli civilians killed by Hamas, Lew said, "If it had been 1,500 people killed because they were Muslims, that would be wrong, too."
Lew said he agreed that Hamas wants to destroy Israel and that Israel has a right to defend itself. He also said Hamas uses the Palestinians as it hides among the population.
But he also reiterated that U.S. humanitarian assistance must continue to be supplied to Gaza.
Lew said he is committed to working with Democrats and Republicans, with "people who agree and disagree with me."
On the current conflict in Gaza, Lew said he supports the clear policy of support toward Israel articulated by President Joe Biden.
During opening statements earlier in the day, Lew said, "I will work to strengthen Israel's security. ... The U.S. has been clear its commitment to Israel is iron-clad."
He added that he also agreed with the military deployment Biden has ordered as a deterrent in the Middle East.
"I think the president's decision to deploy two aircraft carrier groups sends an unmistakeable message. I hope that deployment deters further aggression," Lew said.
As he closed the hearing, Foreign Relations Committee Chair Cardin noted that the Iran deal broken by the Trump administration was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.
But Ranking Republican committee member Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said he has reservations about Lew's nomination.
"We're here today to support Israel by filling the position of ambassador to Israel," Risch said. "I agree with you, we need this thing filled. The problem I have is that it needs to be filled by the right person. I have some issues in that regard."
He questioned Lew's activities during the Obama administration in 2015 on the Iranian nuclear deal that was designed to stop Iran's nuclear weapons development in exchange for loosening U.S. sanctions.
Risch described Lew's activities as "a backhanded way of supporting Iran."
Other Senate Republicans have signaled their intention to oppose Lew's nomination, too.
Earlier this week, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., criticized Lew as an "Iran sympathizer" after he defended the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
The committee adjourned for the day Wednesday, and Cardin said it would be back at work over the weekend in an effort to reach a decision on Lew's nomination.
