A State Department official resigned from his position on Wednesday due to the Biden administration’s approach to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Josh Paul, who worked for the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs for more than 11 years, posted his resignation letter on LinkedIn.
In the letter, Paul that he resigned “due to a policy disagreement concerning our continued lethal assistance to Israel.”
A must read.
My former colleague Josh Paul resigned today from the @StateDept office that approves arms transfers because of the Biden admin's decision to rush arms to Israel.
I have deep respect for Josh and I know he did not take this decision lightly.
Read his letter. pic.twitter.com/6hkoU2AsN4
— Brian Finucane (@BCFinucane) October 18, 2023
Fox News has more on this story:
“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 on LinkedIn.
He added: “I cannot work in support of a set of major policy decisions, including rushing more arms to one side of the conflict, which I believe to be shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse.”
In the lengthy statement, Paul condemned Hamas’ brutal attack on Israeli civilians, but said Israel’s “response” in seeking to eliminate Hamas was too far.
“Let me be clear: Hamas’ attack on Israel was not just a monstrosity; it was a monstrosity of monstrosities,” he wrote. “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.”
His decision came as Biden announced the U.S. would be supplying weapons and munitions to Israel, its closest ally in the Middle East. Biden also said the U.S. stands unequivocally with Israel and its right to defend itself following Hamas’ ruthless assault on Oct. 7 that left more than 1,400 Israelis dead.
Shortly after Paul’s resignation, State Department spokesman Mathew Miller reacted.
After a member of the State Department’s Political Military Bureau, Josh Paul, suddenly resigned over Biden's policy of supporting Israel, the State Department spokesman Mathew Miller reacted.
“So, let me say a few things about that. Number one, we understand, we expect, we… pic.twitter.com/5a3sIPoUBa
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 19, 2023
For his part, Biden has said that he fully supports Israel while ensuring aid is given to civilians caught in the crossfire.
On Wednesday, he announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He added that the aid will be suspended if it falls into the hands of Hamas.
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