CIA official expresses support for Palestine, causes turmoil: FT
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Biden administration officials are expressing concern after a senior CIA official posted a pro-Palestine picture on Facebook two weeks after the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
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Anti-war activists wave their flags as they protest outside of the White House during a pro-Palestinian demonstration asking for a cease-fire in Gaza in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (AP)
The Financial Times reported on a rare incident that sparked disagreement within the Biden administration after a top CIA official posted a pro-Palestine picture on Facebook two weeks after the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
As per the Financial Times, the CIA's associate deputy director for analysis changed her Facebook cover photo on October 21 to an image of a man waving a Palestinian flag, signifying a stance of solidarity with Palestine. On that note, the incident sparked confusion among officials because "posting an overtly political image on a public platform is a very unusual move for a senior intelligence official".
This comes as disputes arise between officials inside the administration concerning US President Joe Biden's duty to pressure "Israel" toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. That said, Senior officials hosted listening sessions with White House staff, the State Department, and other agencies to understand and try to quell their concerns about the president’s approach.
Read next: US President Biden reiterates US support for 'Israel'
In another post, the senior intelligence official posted a selfie on Facebook with a sticker saying "Free Palestine" superimposed on the photograph. However, a person familiar with the image said it was posted to Facebook years ago and long before the current war.
“The officer is a career analyst with an extensive background in all aspects of the Middle East and this post [of the Palestinian flag] was not intended to express a position on the conflict,” they said.
Concern was raised on several levels by former US intelligence officials because the CIA has strong relations with Israeli intelligence. “Given the CIA’s longstanding incredibly close relationship with the Israelis in a liaison capacity, this would be highly irregular for a senior agency official,” said a second former official.
A fourth former official considered the post "biased from somebody who is supposed to be fundamentally unbiased”.
What's Netanyahu's plan and Biden's role?
Talks in the Biden administration and pressure on the President have been ongoing since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Monday, the White House demanded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu define a vision for Gaza's future, as the Israeli aggression is scheduled to resume its offensive as soon as the current truce ends, a report by The Times revealed.
The temporary truce between the Israeli occupation and the Resistance in Gaza came into effect at 7 am on Friday, following an Israeli aggression that has persisted for 47 days, leaving thousands injured and killed.
These plans are likely to entail the construction of new security systems for the governance of Gaza in the future as Netanyahu said he told US President Joe Biden that he is open to extending the temporary truce with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza but affirmed that once it's over, the Israeli ground invasion will resume in "full power" to "destroy Hamas" and release the remaining captives.
Biden and other officials have opposed Netanyahu's goals, disapproving of the full control of Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians.
70% of Democrat youth disapprove Biden's handling of Gaza situation
Earlier this month, according to a new NBC poll, Biden’s approval rating hit its lowest since he was elected.
The rating of 40% comes as Biden has terribly handled the war on Gaza and ignored the repeated calls for a ceasefire. Twenty-four Democratic members of Congress have asked Joe Biden to address "grave violations of children's rights" in Gaza by calling for an urgent ceasefire.
The poll even suggests Biden is behind Trump in a hypothetical election. The decline of support for Biden is most evident among Democrats, with the majority believing "Israel" has gone too far in its relentless bombardment of Gaza, and among voters aged 18 to 34, with a staggering 70% disapproving of Biden's handling of the situation.
Some respondents expressed they “do not support his support of 'Israel',” while others cited “Failed promises, student loans, foreign policy in general."
