The government's actions, according to twelve former Biden administration officials who quit over policy on Israel and the Gaza war, have jeopardized US national security.
They claim in a joint statement that the measures have further destabilized the area and "put a target on America's back."
Only one of the twelve left the US Department of the Interior on Tuesday.
Such allegations have already been refuted by the US Department of State, which cited its disapproval of civilian deaths in Gaza and its efforts to increase humanitarian supplies.
"America's diplomatic cover for, and continuous flow of armaments to Israel has ensured our undeniable complicity in the killings as well as forced starvation of a besieged Palestinian population in Gaza," reads the joint statement from the former diplomats.
This is not the first time that former officials have made such a claim, but it does coincide with Maryam Hassanein's most recent retirement from the US Department of Interior as a special assistant. She signed the statement as well.
The former officials charge that the US administration is holding on to a "failed policy" that has not only been disastrous for the Palestinian people but has also put Israelis in risk, restricted free expression, and damaged US reputation for upholding an international order based on laws.
According to the joint statement, Israel's actions in Gaza and continuous arms exports to the country have further destabilized the Middle East and "put a target on America's back."
"Our nation’s economic and political priorities across the region have also been significantly harmed, while US credibility has been deeply undermined internationally at a time we need it most, when the world is characterised by an emerging phase of strategic competition," the statement continues.
Josh Paul, who was in charge of Congressional relations for arms deliveries, is one of the other signatories. October was his last month of employment.
The declaration was also signed by two former air force department employees, a former army officer working for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and a former official of the White House.
A request for comments has been sent to the state department. It has previously said that employees might voice their opinions via "appropriate channels" and that it supported dissenting opinions on policies.
According to an official from the state department, the US had "been clear at the highest levels both in private and publicly with Israel that its actions must abide by international humanitarian law" in April.
The spokesperson's remarks were made soon after seven US officials, both current and past, told the BBC that President Biden's efforts to put pressure on Israel after a fatal assault on relief workers were insufficient and would not be sufficient to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
In reaction to an enormous assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in roughly 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 251 individuals, the Israeli military began a campaign to eliminate the Hamas organization that controls Gaza.
Since then, the health ministry in Gaza, which is governed by Hamas, has reported almost 37,900 deaths in the region.
No comments:
Post a Comment