The US president has decided in favor of the appointment, which still needs to pass the approval of the US Senate, in a procedure that could take between two and three months.

US Record Joe Biden this evening (Tuesday) officially announced his intention to appoint Tom Nides as the US Ambassador to Israel. The appointment has yet to pass U.S. Senate approval. It is estimated that the appointment will be approved without issue, but the procedure may take between two and three months.

Niles, the former U.S. deputy secretary of state, is the most likely candidate for the job, according to a source involved in the details. Former Congressman Robert Wexler was until recently another leading candidate for the position and even won the support of many members of Congress and Jewish organizations, but did not win the nomination in the end as Biden leaned in the direction of Nides.

Niles currently serves as CEO of Morgan Stanley Bank. He served as Deputy Secretary of State for Administration and Resources under former President Barack Obama. He is very close to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klein and other close advisers to Biden.