Josh Paul resigned from the State Department on October 18, after having spent more than 11 years in political-military affairs, which handles weapons deals.
"I have had my fair share of debates and discussions and efforts to shift policy on controversial arms sales," said Paul, who resigned in protest of US arms transfers to Israel.
"We cannot be both against occupation, and for it. We cannot be both for freedom, and against it. And we cannot be for a better world, while contributing to one that is materially worse," wrote Josh Paul in his letter of resignation.
"I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued indeed, expanded and expedited provision of lethal arms to Israel I have reached the end of that bargain."
Paul sees the rush to send more weapons to a conflict where 10,000 civilians have died, and about one-half include children, is not in the best interest of the US. He wrote about his value judgement to officials, asking for a discussion of other ways to help without adding fuel to the fire, and while some agreed with him privately, none were willing to voice any objection officially to the immediate transfer of US weapons to Israel.
Israel receives about 3.3 billion a year in foreign military financing from the US State Department, which represent about half of the total arms the US supplies globally. The Department of Defense gives to Israel $500 million for missile defense programs.
In an interview with Josh Paul, he explained that Israel is the only country on earth allowed to spend their US arms monies on developing their own weapons, which puts the US in the position of funding a competitor.
Paul further explained the Biden administration's arms transfer policy includes prior vetting to prevent human rights abuses committed with US weapons. But, in the case of Israel, no process is followed, and in the current war on Gaza, it is clear that the weapons sent to Israel will indeed be used for human rights violations and result in massive civilian casualties.
It was Biden's double-standard that made Paul resign. The whole world is held to account for human rights violations and war crimes, but Israel is never criticized by the White House or the Congress.
UN Human Rights director resigned
Craig Mokhiber, director of the New York office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, resigned in a letter on October 28. Mokhiber explained that he was stepping down in protest over the "genocide unfolding before our eyes" in Gaza.
"The current wholesale slaughter of the Palestinian people, rooted in an ethno-nationalist settler colonial ideology, in continuation of decades of their systematic persecution and purging [...], coupled with explicit statements of intent by leaders in the Israeli government and military, leaves no room for doubt or debate," wrote Mokhiber, a US human rights lawyer who joined the UN in 1992 and has served in several conflict zones, including the Palestinian Territories, Afghanistan and Sudan.
"Not only are these governments refusing to meet their treaty obligations 'to ensure respect' for the Geneva Conventions, but they are in fact actively arming the assault, providing economic and intelligence support, and giving political and diplomatic cover for Israel's atrocities," he said while accusing the West of complicity in Israel's war on Gaza.
Protesters have been demonstrating across the Arab world, as well as in London, New York, Washington, Paris and Berlin, in support of the people of Gaza.
Blinken in Baghdad
On November 5, Michael Birnbaum from The Washington Post asked Blinken in a press conference in Baghdad to comment on the future of Gaza.
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