By Josh Paul on Linkedin
(Former) Director at U.S. Department of State. Alternate presence at mastodon.social @JoshPaul(Former) Director at U.S. Department of State. Alternate presence at mastodon.social @JoshPaul . It should be noted that Josh Paul resigned from his position 5 months ago. The following is his resignation letter, as well as a message he wrote on Yoav Gallant’s, Israeli Defense Ministers’s planned visit to the US which was eventually cancelled.
Resignation letter
Today I informed my colleagues that I have resigned from the State Department, due to a policy disagreement concerning our continued lethal assistance to Israel. To further explain my rationale for doing so, I have written the attached note.
23 March 2024: A word of Caution
A word of caution to my former colleagues at State and NSC: Any deal that prevents an Israeli invasion into Rafah and significantly expands the provision of humanitarian assistance into Gaza is a good thing, but don’t assume that such a deal, when accompanied by new major arms transfers to Israel will be universally lauded.
I have said repeatedly since resigning from State that among the many failures of our policy towards Israel is the presumption that “security for peace” works – that a more secure Israel is an Israel more willing to make the concessions necessary for a two-state solution. On the contrary, the U.S. has provided Israel with so much “security” that it has felt able to sideline the Palestinians, expand settlements, and besiege Gaza, all of which ultimately contributed to greater insecurity.
Several weeks ago, it was reported that the White House was seeking information from State on pending arms transfers. Next week, an Israeli delegation will be visiting Washington to brief on the Rafah plans and to hear “US alternatives,” while MOD Gallant will be visiting to seek major and expedited arms transfers. At the same time, it seems Congress will be extending an invitation to Netanyahu to come and speak (ugh). (All links below).
Coincidentally, as my former colleagues know, there are currently multibillion dollar sales of F-35s, F-15s, ground vehicles, air-to-air missiles, and precision guided air-to-ground munitions pending (or receiving immediate approval, depending on the process, as applicable), including some of them within the confidential Tiered Review process before the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committee, which will shortly require formal notification to Congress.
I can understand why some of you might be arguing that an effort to use arms sales to Israel as carrots rather than sticks is the way to exercise our leverage.
All I ask is that you consider the law, consider the CAT Policy, watch the recent videos to have emerged from Gaza, consider your own complicity, and ask yourselves, “are we buying ourselves a short term win at the cost of future Palestinian lives and Israeli insecurity?”, “are we so weak in our relationship with Israel that the only leverage we have is through providing not fewer arms, but more?”, and “are we on the verge of making the same mistakes yet again that led us to this horrific moment?”
Oh, and finally – “do you really trust Netanyahu to uphold his end of the bargain?”
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