In a demonstration of internal dissent over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, a senior U.S. Education Department official has stepped down, and re-election campaign staffers have issued a warning.
What Happened: Tariq Habash, a top official at the U.S. Education Department, resigned on Wednesday. He attributed his decision to the Biden administration’s response to the Gaza conflict, Reuters reported
Habash, a Palestinian-American and an expert in student debt, expressed his concerns about the Biden administration’s approach to the crisis, terming it a “genocidal campaign” by the Israeli government. His resignation follows that of Josh Paul, a former State Department official, who left in October due to the administration’s “blind support” for Israel.
On the same day, 17 anonymous staffers from Biden’s re-election campaign penned a letter, warning of potential voter loss. Published on Medium, the letter urged President Biden to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesman, denied any acts in Gaza that would constitute genocide in response to South Africa’s proceedings at the International Court of Justice over Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Why It Matters: The internal dissent within the Biden administration over the handling of the Israel-Hamas war has been a recurring issue. The U.S. has been renewing its military base presence in Qatar amid the conflict, with the country playing a pivotal role in facilitating talks between Hamas and Israel.
Image via Shutterstock
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