A State Department official has resigned from the agency over the Biden administration’s approach to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the official announced on LinkedIn Wednesday.
Josh Paul, who said he has worked in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs for more than 11 years, said in his LinkedIn post that he resigned “due to a policy disagreement concerning our continued lethal assistance to Israel.”
“Let me be clear,” Paul wrote. “Hamas’ attack on Israel was not just a monstrosity; it was a monstrosity of monstrosities. I also believe that potential escalations by Iran-linked groups such as Hezbollah, or by Iran itself, would be a further cynical exploitation of the existing tragedy. 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.”
“This Administration’s response – and much of Congress’ as well – is an impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia,” Paul adds. “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 to peace. The fact is, blind support for one side is destructive in the long term to the interests of the people on both sides.”
Thank you this needed to be said and fuck Biden administration for taking sides and not only that he NOW going use OUR tax dollars to help Israel commit genocide. Fuck him hate his fucking guts. We should of had Sanders for president he would find the right thing to do.
Not the commenter you asked, but my understanding of this situation is that in response to a Hamas attack on the 7th Israel has, for the past week and a half, been bombing a captive population that is currently without electricity, water, food and medical supplies, and our government is supporting that.
What Biden could do, now, is say "Hey, we understand your fear and pain, but Palestinian deaths won't brings back those Israeli lives. Mass killing of civilians in the hopes of killing some of the people responsible won't bring peace, trust me we've tried too." From there he can engage in discussions about next steps, but this is the minimum fucking first step he refuses to take.
Biden did tell Israel not to make the same mistake the US did after 9/11. He also has been pressuring them to reinstate access to things like water, food, shelter, and telling Israel not to kill civilians.
There is no world where anything but the eradication of Hamas would satisfy Israelies. Hamas which is the acting governing body in Gaza and has vowed to anahilate every single isaerli and has definitely actively acted towards that goal for decades. Hamas who still had hostages and still refuses to release them while they keep slaughtering them. Hamas who keeps lying about literally every single objective and would sooner kill their own to blame it on Israel than work towards peace. Peace isn't an option here. Thinking Biden would or could demand Israel not to retaliate sounds like it is coming from someone who has never suffered. As long as Hamas exist there will never be peace.
Wish the American people and bush would have said that Sep 12th. But if you knew anything about countries and their responses to external terror attacks, you'd know why that first step is impossible.
The US funds israels way of life. Any removal of that funding would shut israel up and remind them that the only reason they can afford genocide is because we are funding them.
The US is in prime position to force israel to consider peace talks. We just dont have politicians with the moral standing to do so.
I was talking to this commenter who apparently is White House level briefed on Bidens options he had.
But if you’d like to also participate that’s cool too but that wasn’t my question.
What were his all of his choices that he had since were feigning to know so much about all the choices he had as armchair forum political experts again.
You claim that Biden could just make Israel come to a meeting somehow? Please explain how that would’ve been accomplished and explain why that would’ve worked with minimal or negligible side effects. If your proposal does contain noticeable side effects, make sure to bring those up as well
Yes, at the meeting where an agreement was eminent and Arafat walked away bc he didn't want peace. History that's conveniently forgotten in a lot of these posts.
Don't you see it's so SIMPLE! Just have the king of Hamas sit down with the Emperor of Israel and have some scotch and cigars and hammer out a quick deal for peace!
Bullshit. The only time both sides were forced to sit at the table and got ANYWHERE close to an agreement was when Arafat walked away bc he didn't really want peace or an agreement. His power and money came from the ongoing conflict.
Obligatory disclaimer: I support neither side, I condemn all war crimes and terrorists, I am cheering for nobody in this horrific clusterfuck.
I think you're both right, I'm surprised you disagree. Yes, this problem has existed longed than the Biden administration, but also yes, this administration unsurprisingly continues to perpetuate it. A person leaving the administration because of its support of Israel does not refute that fact, it supports it. I'm not aware of a US president/administration, Democrat or Republican, that has ever supported Palestine, and I'm not under the impression that any of them were somehow forced to hold the positions they did - it has always been a choice.
Also, I don't know what's up with the replies saying the US should force them to stop fighting at metaphorical gunpoint - not only does that support the godawful myth of America as world police, but anyone familiar with this conflict should know that both Hamas and the Israeli government are fighting in the name of supremacist beliefs, and neither have any interest in ceasing until the other side is completely obliterated.
I'm not sure what you would've expected Biden to do here. Break years of US foreign policy work to side with attackers?
Honestly the whole Israel and US thing feels like Israel is the angry friend that's little brother just got bullied at school and the US is trying to be supportive while talking them down.
President Biden headed home on Wednesday after a wartime trip to Israel, where he forcefully vowed that the United States would stand fast with Israel in its war against Hamas and unveiled a newly brokered deal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt.
In a speech, Mr. Biden talked emotionally about the “all-consuming rage” Israelis must feel after seeing 1,400 people slaughtered by Hamas terrorists in cross-border raids on Oct. 7. But then he cautioned Israelis not to be so consumed by rage that they make mistakes. “After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States,” he said. “While we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes.”
Sounds and awful lot like "I'll help you kick the ass of the fools that hit your brother, but don't make the mistake I did, you don't need to kick everybody's ass."
I'm also not sure how anyone expects Israel to accept the losses and move on. If the US or any other country had been attacked like this they'd already have boots on the ground.