Josh Paul, the Director of Congressional and Public Affairs at the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, resigned on Wednesday, expressing his opposition to the Biden administration’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Paul had been in his position for more than 11 years, coordinating relations with Congress and public messaging over arms exports to foreign powers.
He explicitly expressed, “I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued–indeed, expanded and expedited–provision of lethal arms to Israel, I have reached the end of that bargain.”
In his resignation, Paul condemned Hamas attack on Israel labeling it as “monstrosity;” and adding, “It was a monstrosity of monstrosities.”
But he also expressed his deep concerns about the administration’s support for Israel and its military assistance. “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.”
In discussing the positive impacts he believes he has made at his latest post, Paul stated with an ebullient tone, “I have been proud in my time of service to have made many differences, both visibly and behind the scenes, from advocating for Afghan refugees, to pushing back (with not insignificant results) on pending administration decisions to transfer lethal weapons to countries that abuse human rights.”
Paul’s departure represents an atypical example of internal dissatisfaction within Biden’s cabinet over the administration’s strong support for Israel, a vital U.S. partner in the Middle East. He criticized the administration’s handling of the crisis, calling it “an impulsive reaction” based on “intellectual bankruptcy.”
Paul’s resignation also raised questions about the U.S. military assistance to Israel and its potential impacts on civilian casualties in Gaza.
He believes that the military aid effectively provides Israel with a blank check to take action against Gaza without considering the civilian toll.
The State Department declined to comment on Paul’s resignation, citing its policy on refraining from discussion of personnel matters.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been actively working to garner regional support for Israel’s right to self-defense while also emphasizing the importance of minimizing civilian casualties.
Paul’s decision to resign was not one which he arrived at lightly; rather, he felt there was no opportunity for genuine discourse within the administration over the Israel-Gaza conflict. His academic background and profession were both heavily influenced by the historical context of events within the region–making this a profoundly personal matter for him–as he completed his Master’s thesis about the conflict.
The former director has received immense backing from coworkers at the State Department and from congressional staff members since announcing his resignation on LinkedIn, but tempered with significant criticism regarding the comments on his post.