Over 500 U.S. Officials Sign Letter Opposing Biden’s Policy on Israel

By Better Today On Nov 14, 2023

TL/DR –

Over 500 political appointees and staff members across 40 US government agencies have written to President Biden to protest his support of Israel during the Gaza war. The letter urges the President to seek an immediate cease-fire and encourage Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, echoing recent internal protest memos and letters within the Biden administration. The letter denounces the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas while also calling on Biden to stop the bloodshed caused by Israel’s retaliation; it argues that the majority of Americans support a cease-fire and do not want US military involvement in another Middle East war.

Internal Dissent over Biden’s Pro-Israel Stand Grows

Over 500 political appointees and government agency staff members have expressed their opposition to President Biden’s support for Israel during the Gaza conflict. They submitted a letter to Biden reiterating their disagreement and advocating for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, as well as humanitarian aid.

This protest is a part of an escalation in internal disagreement over the administration’s stance. Earlier, several protest letters had been sent from officials within the administration, including three internal memos to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and an open letter by over 1,000 U.S. Agency for International Development employees.

The signatories of Tuesday’s letter and the USAID employees have remained anonymous due to concerns about personal safety and potential job loss. However, signatories of the State Department dissent cables must disclose their names, although these cables have not been made public.

The Biden administration’s recent concerns about the rising number of Palestinian civilian casualties and calls for Israel to exhibit restraint have not calmed dissent within the U.S. government. The letter reviewed by The New York Times condemns the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and urges Biden to halt the bloodshed due to Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza.

The letter calls on Biden to demand a cease-fire urgently. It also advocates for the de-escalation of the conflict, the release of Israeli hostages and detained Palestinians, restoration of basic services, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Even after delivering the letter to Biden, the organizers continued to gather signatures. By Tuesday afternoon, they had approximately 100 more signatures than the 402 originally submitted.

The majority of signatories are political appointees from various faiths and government agencies, ranging from the National Security Council to the F.B.I. and the Justice Department. Some of these signatories were instrumental in Biden’s 2020 election victory and expressed concern about the administration’s support for Israel clashing with Democratic voters’ views.

The letter states that a vast majority of Americans support a cease-fire and references an October poll indicating that 66% of Americans, including 80% of Democrats, believe the U.S. should pressure Israel into a cease-fire.

According to the Israeli government, Israel launched a ground invasion last month in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 that killed around 1,200 people. The Gaza health ministry reports that more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive so far.