US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides has recently informed the US State Department and Israel's Prime Minister's Office that he plans to step down this summer. According to Israel Hayom reporting, Nides has said behind closed doors that "after two years of such intense work while my family is away, I would like to return home." He reportedly added that he has enjoyed his job and believes he has carried it out with success, stressing that the decision was not made over political reasons. Nides' decision was first reported by Axios' Barak Ravid.
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Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie L. Hallett will take over once Nides leaves his post. Hallet has been overseeing the efforts to have Israel admitted to the Visa Waiver Program and has won accolades from both sides.
The conventional wisdom is that the Biden administration will not nominate another ambassador to Israel before the Nov. 2024 presidential election because of the difficulties in getting such an appointment confirmed by the Senate in the current political climate in the US and the time this would consume.
A source told i24NEWS that there's speculation that Nides is being considered for another position in Biden's administration. The source said that Nides apparently "has had it" and wants to return home. The source predicted that he would either take on another role or go back to banking. Israel Hayom could not independently confirm the i24NEWS report.
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