US State Dept. official on Israeli-Palestinian affairs resigns: WashPo
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Andrew Miller becomes the most senior US official to resign to date whose work has focused on Israeli-Palestinian issues.
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State Dept official Andrew Miller
A senior State Department official who disagreed with the Biden administration's "bear hug" strategy toward "Israel" has resigned, The Washington Post reported, citing three people familiar with the situation - marking yet another in the long list of resignations in the US government amid the war on Gaza.
The deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian issues, Andrew Miller, announced his resignation to coworkers on Friday, citing family reasons. He indicated that he would have wanted to stay and continue advocating for his beliefs, even in areas where he disagreed with administration policy.
Miller is the most senior US official to resign to date whose work has focused on Israeli-Palestinian issues.
Suzanne Maloney, vice president and director of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, regretted that Miller's "departure will be a loss for the administration in general and the State Department in particular," adding that the latest resignation is "a telling indicator of the general toll that the conflict has taken on those who have been working to deal with its security implications for the United States and its allies."
Miller is known by his peers as a thoughtful observer of Middle East issues and a fervent advocate of Palestinian sovereignty and rights. Before working on Israeli-Palestinian matters, he was the US ambassador to the UN's senior policy advisor and held the position of director of the White House National Security Council's Egypt and "Israel" military affairs during the Obama administration.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, "Andrew brought deep experience and sharp perspective to the table every day."
A true advocate
Aaron David Miller, a Middle East expert who has advised both Democratic and Republican administrations, described Andrew Miller as a “smart” and “creative” diplomat.
He said that the reigning official "was caught in a bureau of well-intentioned and capable Foreign Service officers who have had little or no impact on U.S. policy before and even after October 7."
A US official called Andrew Miller “ahead of the curve from the beginning” in recognizing the risks of what has become known as the Biden administration’s “bear hug” strategy, referring to the US President's physical embrace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to "Israel" in October.
The official added, “He’s certainly on the more progressive side of administration officials when it comes to the region, including on Israel-Palestine, but he has also never been a ‘burn it all down and forgo pragmatism’ type."
“He [Andrew Miller] has always advocated that the United States should support Palestinian rights and statehood, but his advocacy while in government has generally been quiet and measured.”
On the other hand, Miller was also "an unmatched supporter of Israel’s security," added a senior State Department official who worked with him extensively.
Last month, two US officials quit their jobs - Alexander Smith, a contractor for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and Stacey Gilbert, a senior US State Department official in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
Miller's resignation brings the tally of Biden officials who have openly quit over US policy on Gaza to 10. However, Josh Paul, the first official to leave, said that at least two dozen more had departed discreetly, without making a public statement.
The resignations come as famine looms in Gaza, with just a trickle of humanitarian assistance reaching borders controlled by the Israeli occupation and a US-made dock reportedly designed for aid shipments suspended after sustaining massive damage by a storm.
A long list
In May as well, Lily Greenberg Call, a special assistant to the chief of staff in the Interior Department, accused Joe Biden of exploiting Jewish people to justify the US policy in the Israeli war on Gaza.
Dr. Annelle Sheline's resignation from the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in April also marks the most notable departure from the department since Josh Paul, a senior official in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
Hala Rharrit, who had been a foreign service officer for more than 18 years, resigned that same month, saying, "We have no ground to stand on anymore," adding that the US efforts to stop the Israeli war on Gaza were a "failed policy".
Tariq Habash, a former policy advisor who resigned in January, further stated that anonymous letters urging Biden to shift his "Israel" policy "were not enough anymore" and called on other officials to resign, whether publicly or not.
There is also Aaron Bushnell, the US Airman who set himself on fire in protest of the US role and policy in Gaza. Subsequently, in a vigil for Bushnell, a number of US veterans burned their uniform in protest of US policies in the Gaza Strip and the government's unconditional support for "Israel".
An Army officer assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency has resigned this month in protest over the US support for "Israel", which, according to him, had “enabled and empowered” the killing of Palestinian civilians.
Major Harrison Mann announced his resignation and explained his reasons for leaving the service in a post on LinkedIn.
