Josh Paul, who stated he had a tenure of over 11 years at the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, announced in his LinkedIn post that he resigned due to a policy dispute concerning ongoing lethal aid to Israel.
In his post, Paul voiced his concern: “Hamas’ assault on Israel was not merely an atrocity; it was an enormity among enormities. I also hold the conviction that potential escalations by Iran-linked groups like Hezbollah or Iran itself would exploit the existing tragedy further. However, I am firmly convinced that Israel’s response, coupled with American support for that response and the status quo of the occupation, will lead to more profound suffering for both Israelis and Palestinians and is not in the long-term interest of the United States.”
He criticized the response of the current administration, describing it as “an impulsive reaction driven by confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia.”
Paul explained that he could not endorse policy decisions that involved supplying arms, which he deemed “shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contrary to the values we publicly uphold.”
In response, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller acknowledged the diversity of beliefs among employees, stating, “We understand, expect, and appreciate that individuals working in this department hold varying political, personal, and policy-related beliefs.” He emphasized U.S. support for Israel’s right to self-defense and the expectation that Israel would comply with international law during this process.
The United States provides $3.8 billion annually in security assistance to Israel, with plans to request additional security aid. Josh Paul argued that the safeguards meant to prevent American weapons from falling into the hands of human rights violators were failing, as the U.S. continued to support Israel even as Israel cut off essential supplies to Gaza.
He also pointed out the absence of effective opposition from the State Department and Congress in addressing these issues in this specific case.
