Josh Paul, a former senior State Department official, resigned from his position in response to the United States’ continued support and arms transfers to Israel, particularly in the context of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. His resignation was motivated by a belief that the U.S.’s support for Israel in this conflict was “shortsighted,” “destructive,” and “contradictory”【source】.
Josh Paul resigned from the State Dept over sending arms to Israel. “I have heard from actually so many hundreds of colleagues at this point who support what I did,” he says. “They are finding what is happening both a moral disaster and a policy disaster for the United States.” pic.twitter.com/1M07cxeAwG
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) December 4, 2023
In discussions with POLITICO Magazine, Paul elaborated on his views, arguing that the U.S. approach to the conflict between Israel and Hamas was wrongheaded. He advocated for Israel to consider alternatives to an invasion of the Gaza Strip, suggesting that the current U.S. policy was not conducive to a long-term solution to the conflict【source】.
Paul’s objection specifically centered on the U.S. policy of arms transfers to Israel. He resigned following the transfer of military aid to Israel, which was part of its campaign against Hamas【source】【source】. His resignation after 11 years of service highlights the ethical and policy dilemmas faced by officials in the State Department regarding the U.S.’s role in complex international conflicts【source】.
This resignation underscores the ongoing debate within the U.S. foreign policy community about the appropriate level and nature of support to Israel, especially in the context of its actions in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Paul’s departure from the State Department reflects a broader tension within U.S. foreign policy circles about how to balance strategic interests with human rights and ethical considerations in international relations.