Former U.S. Officials Slam Biden’s ‘Intransigent’ Gaza Policy

U.S. President Joe Biden’s Gaza policy is “a failure and a threat to U.S. national security” that “dehumanizes both Palestinians and Jews” and should be regulated, a joint statement by 12 former government officials, who had resigned from their positions over Biden’s approach to policy in Gaza, read. 

The statement, which was exclusively shared with HuffPost, was jointly written by four State Department officials, three from the military, one from the US Agency for International Development, and four from Biden’s political staff.

What did the statement include? 

The statement aligned the steps the former officials recommended for a policy change. It also suggested that they would continue challenging the administration on public platforms, exert pressure on Biden’s team to curb its support for the Israeli offensive in Gaza, and take necessary measures to avert the subsequent humanitarian crisis in the Strip. 

Reportedly, it further emphasized the growing dissent over Biden’s policy on Gaza within the government itself and urged administrators to challenge their leaders “to not be complicit” in the onslaught in Gaza. 

According to the signatories, their resignation came as an extension of their service to the nation, rather than an end of it, saying “This failed policy has not achieved its stated objectives — it has not made Israelis any safer, it has emboldened extremists while it has been devastating for the Palestinian people, ensuring a vicious cycle of poverty and hopelessness, with all the implications of that cycle, for generations to come,” stressing that another way to handle the war exists. 

It was further highlighted how earlier in the war, several instances prompted the signatories to believe the administration would take tangible action against their current policy for the war in Gaza, but were met with “intransingence” instead. 

The statement sheds light on the significant harm to US political and economic interests in the region, along with a deep erosion of global credibility, precisely when it is most needed amid heightened strategic competition. It echoes the Biden administration’s rhetoric about strengthening US influence regarding China, Russia, and other nations.

It also questions the credibility of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s advocacy for a “rules-based international order,” suggesting that such principles are undermined by US favoritism towards “Israel”, and further criticizes the Biden administration for failing to protect the free speech rights of students who opposed the Gaza conflict within the United States.

Signatories share their thoughts

Harrison Mann, who resigned from the US military last month, said that the Biden administration failed to investigate “anything that looked like the Israelis killing lots of civilians,” and recalled the killings of three US soldiers at a base in Jordan, thinking it might provide some reflection on policy changes. He also gave examples of the killings of seven aid workers volunteering for the World Central Kitchen in Gaza, as well as the invasion of Rafah. 

“There have been a lot of moments where I felt, against reason, quite hopeful that we could see a change, and I think what we all understood – some of them faster than me – is that outside pressure is the only thing that’s going to move the ball on this,” he said. 

Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American who resigned from the Department of Education, on his part, criticized the democratic party, saying he had believed it recognized racial equality and humanity, but was forced to quit after seeing Biden’s Gaza policy and how it enabled the suffering of Palestinians. 

Moreover, Annelle Sheline, a former State Department official who resigned in March, said that the risk of the war spreading was “not getting enough attention,” amid concerns of support from Biden’s administration to “Israel” in the event of a full-scale war against Lebanon. She warned that such escalation could lead to the entanglement of Iran and the US. 

Hala Rharrit, a professional diplomat, who worked for the State Department before quitting in April, also revealed the drastic levels of silencing and censorship of any criticism of the administration’s policy. 

Bottomline

The resigning officials are urging the Biden administration to prioritize resolving the so-called Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They propose actions such as enforcing US laws that restrict military aid to foreign forces involved in human rights violations—a measure never applied to Israeli forces despite their status as a top US military supplier.

They also advocate for stronger US support for Palestinian self-determination and opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds, which are reportedly crucial areas for a Palestinian state.

Their statement emphasizes the need to reform organizational cultures and structures that shape current US policy, including strengthening oversight and accountability within the Executive Branch, increasing transparency in arms transfers and legal decisions, and ensuring legislative changes to prevent marginalization of critical viewpoints.

Additionally, the signatories are calling for measures to prevent future presidents from granting impunity to foreign partners, which they believe implicates the US in possible war crimes like those allegedly committed in Gaza, such as “killings and forced starvation”.