3 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
More than a dozen former US government officials who resigned over the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip have published a joint statement for the first time accusing the White House of “undeniable complicity” in the deaths of Palestinians in the enclave, where Israeli bombings have killed more than 37,900 people in nine months.
“The US diplomatic cover and continued flow of arms to Israel have ensured our undeniable complicity in the deaths and forced starvation of the besieged Palestinian population in Gaza. This is not only morally reprehensible and a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law and US laws, but has also put a target on the back of the United States,” they said, according to .
In the statement, they stressed that Washington’s policy in Gaza “is a failure and a threat to US national security,” arguing that it has endangered the lives of military personnel and diplomats. They also argued that US policy towards Gaza has “been deeply damaging” to both US relations in the region and to its “global credibility” and that of the West, “a particularly dangerous situation in the context of this era of strategic competition.”
These former officials have taken the opportunity to address those colleagues who were not in a position to resign, to assure them that their “voice matters”: “We encourage you to keep pushing. In our experience, no decision is too insignificant to challenge, so, while you are in government service, make your voice heard. Speaking up has an inspiring effect on others to make their voices heard. There is strength in numbers, and we urge you not to be complicit.”
They also made six recommendations to the government, including a call to “faithfully execute the law,” stating that “it is abundantly clear that the Administration is deliberately violating multiple U.S. laws and attempting to deny or distort facts, use legal loopholes, or manipulate processes to ensure a continued flow of lethal weapons to Israel.”
They have also called on the authorities to use “all necessary and available influence to bring an immediate end to the conflict,” to expand humanitarian aid, to support the determination of the Palestinian people, to establish stronger mechanisms of oversight and accountability within the executive branch, and to support freedom of expression for the university protesters.
Biden has faced pressure from both home and abroad for his “ironclad” support for Israel, and while his spokespeople’s rhetoric has become tougher in recent months, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians, policies have remained largely unchanged.
The Israeli army launched an offensive against Gaza following the Hamas attacks on October 7, which left nearly 1,200 people dead and some 240 kidnapped. Gazan authorities, controlled by the Islamist group, have reported more than 37,900 dead, in addition to more than 560 Palestinians killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in operations by Israeli forces or in attacks carried out by settlers.
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