A high-ranking official from the State Department under the Biden administration has tendered his resignation, citing a policy disagreement over the United States' decision to provide military aid to Israel amidst its conflict with Hamas.
Josh Paul, an official from the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, was responsible for overseeing the transfer of arms to key American allies, including Israel. He announced his resignation via a LinkedIn post, expressing his disapproval of the US's continued lethal assistance to Israel.
"Today I informed my colleagues that I have resigned from the State Department, due to a policy disagreement concerning our continued lethal assistance to Israel," Paul wrote. He further stated, "I cannot work in support of a set of major policy decisions, including rushing more arms to one side of the conflict, that I believe to be shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse."
Paul condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel but expressed his concern that Israel's retaliation, backed by the United States, would lead to long-term suffering for both Palestinians and Israelis. He wrote, "Hamas attack on Israel was not just a monstrosity; it was a monstrosity of monstrosities. But I believe to the core of my soul that the response Israel is taking, and with it the American support both for that response and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people and is not in the long term American interest."
Paul's resignation came on the heels of President Biden's announcement that the United States would be arming Israel, its closest Middle Eastern ally. This decision was made in response to Hamas's invasion of Israel, which resulted in the death of over 1,400 Israelis, marking the deadliest act of terror the country has experienced since 1973.
Paul expressed his disappointment in the administration's decision, describing it as an "impulsive reaction." He wrote, "This Administrations response and much of Congress as well is an impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia. That is to say, it is immensely disappointing, and entirely unsurprising. Decades of the same approach have shown that security for peace leads to neither security nor peace."
In his resignation statement, Paul also reflected on his tenure at the Bureau, acknowledging the moral complexities and compromises involved in his role. He wrote, "When I came to the Bureau, the US Government entity most responsible for the transfer and provision of arms to partners and allies, I knew it was not without its moral complexity and moral compromises, and I made myself a promise that I would stay for as long as I felt the harm I might do would be outweighed by the good I could do. In my 11 years I have made more moral compromises than I can recall, each heavily, but each with my promise to myself in mind, and intact. I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued indeed, expanded and expedited provision of lethal arms to Israel I have reached the end of that bargain."
In a final note, Paul criticized the contradictory stance of the US on issues of occupation and freedom. He stated, "We cannot be both against occupation and for it. We cannot be both for freedom and against it. And we cannot be for a better world while contributing to one that is materially worse."
Following Paul's resignation, President Biden visited Israel and pledged continued support for the nation, one of America's strongest allies. He also announced a $100 million aid package to be sent to Gaza, which is currently under Hamas rule, to support humanitarian efforts.
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