Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Oren welcomed Chuck Hagel’s confirmation as the new Defence Secretary Tuesday, as he declared himself “fully confident” that the close ties that Israel had established during President Barack Obama’s first term in office “will grow stronger still as our countries continue to meet common challenges to our security”.
Despite the public vote of confidence, Israel inevitably monitored the Senate vote, which found in favour of the controversial Republican by 58-41, with the Iranian nuclear threat topping the list of mutual foreign policy concerns for the close allies, ahead of Obama’s much-anticipated visit to the Jewish State next month. Hagel had thus far proved an unpopular choice for the post, with his fellow Republicans opposing his confirmation over his perceived “soft” position on Iran, which has seen him previously advocate a diplomacy-only response to its increasing nuclear threat, as well as his seemingly hostile position on Israel.
Greeting the news of his confirmation Tuesday, after four Republicans voted in favour of it despite threats from his former Republican Senate colleagues to filibuster (block the motion to delay the confirmation), Obama paid tribute to his candidate “for reminding us that when it comes to our national defence, we are not Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans, and our greatest responsibility is the security of the American people”.
Heralding the eventual bipartisan support of his nomination, after several false starts at committee level, he added that in Hagel, “we will have the defence secretary our nation needs and the leader our troops deserve”.
Unsurprisingly, there was uproar to his nomination amongst pro-Israel groups in Washington, whom he had previously come under fire for condemning as the “Jewish lobby”, contending they used intimidating tactics to carry their agenda in political circles. Hagel was later forced to correct his terminology before the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he admitted that he should have characterised such groups as the pro-Israel lobby.
His apology appeared to have carried little sway with the groups that it addressed however, as the Republican Jewish Coalition confessed itself “disappointed” by his confirmation, insisting his “statements on Israel and the ‘Jewish lobby’ raised serious concerns about his fitness to serve”.
Despite Hagel’s insistence that his policy on Iran echoed that of Obama’s administration, the group further questioned his position on the Islamist regime, asserting that his “appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee showed that he lacks an understanding of the issues facing our defence forces and national security leaders”.
Meanwhile the Emergency Committee for Israel, who similarly opposed his nomination, expressed hope that their public campaign had forced Hagel to re-examine his views on Israel and Iran and that “as a result of this battle, Mr. Hagel will be less free to pursue dangerous policies at the Defence Department and less inclined to advocate them within the administration”.
Left-wing lobby J Street however heralded his nomination as a “recognition that achieving a two-state solution is ultimately the only way to secure Israel’s future for generations to come”.
“Chuck Hagel will add a powerful voice to those of us who believe that a two-state solution is not just fundamental to Israel if it is to remain both Jewish and democratic, but fundamental also to America if we are to succeed in promoting security and stability in the Middle East and the world,” concluded the group’s statement.