The conflict between Israel and Hamas is now revealing divisions within the political left. While mainstream Democrats have traditionally supported Israel, there is a growing pro-Palestinian sentiment among some on the far-left. This emerging divide is becoming increasingly apparent.
On October 18, a senior official from the State Department resigned, and he thoughtfully shared a letter on his LinkedIn page to elucidate his reasons. Josh Paul, who served as a director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, was responsible for overseeing U.S. arms sales to our international allies. It’s worth noting that Israel has been a prominent purchaser of U.S. weaponry for the past five decades.
Currently, Israel is facing a challenging conflict with Hamas, an Iranian-backed terrorist organization. President Biden has pledged to provide Israel with whatever military support it requires during this critical time.
Paul, however, expressed his dissatisfaction with this approach. In his online statement, he mentioned that he had found his role to be both intellectually and ethically stimulating. He asserted that during his 11-year tenure at the State Department, he had been required to make numerous ethical concessions. Nevertheless, it appears that supporting Israel in the face of terrorist violence is one compromise he is not prepared to accept.
Paul acknowledged the tragic events of October 7 when Hamas caused the loss of approximately 1,500 Israeli lives, considering it an extreme atrocity. However, he proceeded to criticize Israel’s response, which involved significant bombardment of Hamas targets in Gaza and preparations for a potential ground operation.
He characterized the Biden administration’s reaction to the attack as hasty and attributed it to a perceived pro-Israel bias and a lack of moral integrity. Paul also contended that the Israeli military’s offensive would exacerbate the situation in the long term.
The initial shipment of U.S. weaponry to Israel, following the Hamas attack, arrived on October 10. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has stated that this delivery includes ammunition and interceptor missiles destined for Israel’s Iron Dome system, which serves as the country’s primary defense against the continuous barrage of missiles launched by Hamas at its towns and cities.
