Overview
- Amer Ghalib faced sharp, bipartisan questioning before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee over past comments and social media activity involving Israel, Jews and Middle East groups.
- Sen. Ted Cruz said he will vote against advancing the nomination, with GOP Senators Dave McCormick and Pete Ricketts also pressing Ghalib over positions they called incompatible with U.S. policy.
- Lawmakers cited his questioning of reports of Oct. 7 sexual violence, support for BDS, a Facebook like comparing Jews to monkeys, praise for the Muslim Brotherhood and calling Saddam Hussein a “martyr.”
- Ghalib defended his record as the habits of a private citizen, called the social media likes a “bad habit,” characterized the Saddam comment as made in anger and pledged to follow the president’s policies.
- The White House has stood by the nominee, but his confirmation remains pending a committee vote that could take weeks, with no timetable announced.