Tom Nides confirmed as US ambassador to Israel, despite Republican resistance

Veteran official Tom Nides was confirmed as US Ambassador to Israel on Wednesday, despite considerable resistance from some Republican senators.

Nides, a former top banker at Morgan Stanley, served in the US State Department when Barack Obama was president and defended funding for the Palestinians.

He was confirmed as ambassador in a senate floor vote.

There were fears that the process of filling the role would be drawn out after senators blocked his nomination on Tuesday.

Missouri senator Hawley, who was a close ally of former President Donald Trump, said he and multiple other senators objected to the hiring of Nides and all other ambassador nominees, but did not explicitly say why.

Nides' appointment was welcomed by Israeli politicians including foreign minister Yair Lapid.

President Joe Biden, who nominated Nides for ambassador in June, has sought to reverse some of his predecessor's policies on Israel and Palestine.

This includes re-opening the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem, much to the consternation of Israel and some Republicans.