US 'monstrous disregard for Palestinian lives': Voices from within
8 Min Read
Multiple US officials reflect on the cruel indifference of the United States toward innocent Palestinian lives, unmasking the difficulty of raising internal concerns or criticisms against "Israel".
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US President Joe Biden delivers remarks after meeting Israeli occupation’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, October 18, 2023, in "Tel Aviv". (AP)
President Joe Biden embarked on a diplomatic mission to "Israel" amid the ongoing Israeli aggression, with the number of Palestinians killed surpassing 3,400 martyrs, mainly women and children.
Multiple US officials revealed as quoted by HuffPost that the Biden administration faces challenges in having comprehensive discussions about the situation in occupied Palestine. They particularly note that those who wish to address issues such as the Israeli total blockade or any humanitarian support for Palestinians find it challenging to express their views openly.
Multiple employees across various government agencies, many of whom are focused on national security matters, expressed concerns as reported by HuffPost about potential workplace reprisals if they were to raise questions regarding Israeli conduct during the ongoing US-supported Israeli aggression.
#JoeBiden has "blood on his hands," social media users are saying following the death of 6-year-old boy #WadeaAlFayoume stabbed to death by a landlord in #Chicago after expressing anti-#Muslim and anti-Palestinian views.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/N8xqxVsxbB
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 17, 2023
Staff members with Muslim backgrounds are particularly fearful. On Sunday, Gautam Raghavan, the head of the presidential personnel office, arranged a conference call with nearly a dozen current and former Muslim appointees in high-ranking positions to address their apprehensions. According to someone who was on the call, some employees mentioned that they refrained from expressing their views to their colleagues because doing so could jeopardize their careers.
Officials who are monitoring the intensifying situation are privately sharing grim forecasts regarding the ultimate impact of Israeli aggression on Gaza. They also express skepticism about their ability to influence the situation and have concerns about President Biden's commitment to de-escalating tensions, as per the HuffPost.
One official said, as quoted by HuffPost, “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”
'I'll lose my security clearance for criticizing Biden'
A long-standing government employee expressed the conflict between their dedication to addressing human rights violations and the demands of their job.
“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for the civilian massacre,” they said, as quoted by HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”
'Does that completely explain the monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives?'
The limited and suppressed internal discussions undermine President Biden's narrative that his administration is exceptionally diverse and receptive to viewpoints from historically underrepresented communities, even when it comes to global matters.
“One reason to want a diverse staff is to have a variety of inputs into your decision-making, not just to check a box on a little quota sheet — you want to benefit from the more informed decision-making that happens from a broader set of experiences having a seat at the table,” a person in the administration said, as quoted by HuffPost.
However, he detailed that “the inner, inner circle on these issues is not at all diverse. Does that completely explain the monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives? No, but it’s hard to think these things are entirely disconnected.”
Meanwhile, White House officials claim that the Biden administration is actively working to gather a variety of perspectives from government officials concerning the "Israel-Palestine situation".
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients intends to conduct a "listening session with Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian staff members to directly hear their input." He also plans to encourage Cabinet secretaries to do the same within their respective agencies. This information has not been disclosed before.
Zients has also been responsible for implementing a comprehensive strategy for reaching out to Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian American communities, both within and outside the government, as stated by the official.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have been unequivocal: there is no place for hate in America ― not against Muslims, not against Arab Americans, not against Jews ― not against anyone,” Robyn Patterson, a White House spokesperson, said as cited by HuffPost. “He’s assembled the most diverse presidential administration in history and is proud of the open, collaborative role his appointees play in advising on policy and strategy ― including Muslim and Arab American team members. He will continue to use all available tools to combat hate against Muslim and Arab Americans.”
Given that many Biden employees are already feeling disheartened, these outreach efforts may be seen as superficial or merely for the show if there is insufficient evidence that they lead to a more inclusive decision-making process.
Outlining “a chilling effect,” one of the officials said their main concern “as a policy person is that America is not going to get the good policy idea.”
'If we are seen as responsible for killing Palestinian children'
An official characterized the initial days of the ongoing aggression as "extremely hard". During this period, the Biden administration implemented a strategy emphasizing support for "Israel", even though it was carrying out airstrikes in Gaza, targeting residential areas and disrupting the region's access to basic amenities like electricity, water, and medicine.
According to the official, US government agencies typically formulate a detailed, systematic strategy to assist American allies when dealing with an overseas escalation or crisis.
“We built Ukraine aid with, ‘What does Ukraine need?’” the official said.
However, it was evident to them that the White House was determined to swiftly demonstrate strong support for "Israel". Initially, the official did not feel comfortable raising concerns about the potential repercussions for Palestinians during policy discussions.
“It took me till Wednesday or Thursday to have the courage to say, ‘I don’t think it would be good for America if we are seen as responsible for killing Palestinian children,’” they said. “There was awkward silence like a pin could drop, and I’m like, ‘Are they going to report me to the House Un-American Activities Committee?’”
Dehumanizing innocent Palestinians and State Department officials!!
A person who works in the administration said as quoted by The HuffPost: “There is a sense that the administration’s policy decisions show stunning disregard for innocent Palestinians ― and that same dehumanization is also reflected in how staff are being treated.”
“It’s jarring for people because there is so much care for some lives, both abroad and in terms of thinking about how certain staff must be feeling,” they added.
Last Sunday, Blinken announced the reopening of the Rafah Crossing in Gaza, which connects the Strip to Egypt and serves as the only exit point from the Strip not leading into "Israel". Egyptian officials confirmed this decision, and the US embassy in "Israel" instructed the hundreds of Americans stuck in Gaza to go to the crossing. However, "Israel" carried out an airstrike on the crossing for the fourth time this month, resulting in its closure throughout the day.
“You basically asked a bunch of Americans ― most of whom have very young children ― to risk their lives to go to a border crossing that they then couldn’t cross. That’s an embarrassment to us,” the official said. “As American citizens, they went and they trusted their government, and they’re waiting in the hot sun all day for the border to not open.”
'Israel may be attempting to execute a genocide'
Several employees within national security agencies have shared an essay from Jewish Currents written by a scholar who suggests that "Israel" may be attempting to execute a genocide, as mentioned by a US official.
These officials are advocating for senior American figures to acknowledge prior assessments that project tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in the event of a ground invasion of Gaza, which "Israel" is gearing up for. Such an operation is expected to result in a much larger number of individuals being forcibly displaced from their homes.
“The inter-agency is now patching band-aids and not thinking in a structural way,” they contended.
“It’s fully in [the Biden administration’s] hands to say there’s not going to be mass atrocities,” the official said.
“There’s a deep, deep sorrow and pain for people as they’re seeing the death count rapidly mount and a panicked and alarmed sense of, ‘How are we allowing this to happen?’” they added. “The pride I felt serving in President Biden’s administration has given way to deep shame. May God forgive us.”
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