Biden’s support for Israel sparks fury INSIDE the government: More than 400 political appointees from 40 agencies send letter to president demanding he seek an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
More than 400 employees of President Joe Biden’s administration have written to him to protest his support for Israel and demand that he pursue an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Health officials in the Hamas-controlled area say more than 10,000 people have been killed in a brutal attack on Israel after terrorists killed more than 1,200 people on October 7.
The letter’s anonymous authors say they represent political appointees in the government across 40 federal agencies with domestic and foreign responsibilities.
“We call on President Biden to urgently demand a ceasefire; and to call for a de-escalation of the current conflict by ensuring the immediate release of Israeli hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians; the restoration of water, fuel, electricity and other basic services; and the passage of adequate humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip,” they wrote.
It will increase pressure on Biden, who has positioned himself as Israel’s closest ally even as world opinion turns against the attack on Gaza.
Pressure is mounting on President Joe Biden as more of his officials push for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza. Here he is seen boarding Air Force One before flying to San Francisco
The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 10,000 people have been killed
The enclave’s largest hospital, surrounded by Israeli troops, has become a symbol of the humanitarian crisis.
Palestinian authorities want an evacuation of Shifa hospital under the supervision of the Red Cross, saying it is the only way to save three dozen newborn babies trapped there.
Meanwhile, several protest letters and memos are circulating among the Biden administration.
More than a thousand U.S. Agency for International Development employees signed a letter urging a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.
Last week, Biden said emphatically that this was a non-starter, and officials have said publicly that they fear it could allow Hamas to reorganize and rearm.
The last letter, first obtained by the New York Timeswas organized by officials who said they worked for Biden because they believed he wanted an administration that was more representative of the country.
“The overwhelming majority of Americans support a ceasefire,” the letter said, citing an October poll showing that 66 percent of Americans, and 80 percent of Democrats, believe the U.S. should allow Israel to go on strike -have to turn on the fire.
It adds: “Furthermore, the Americans do not want the US military to become involved in another costly and pointless war in the Middle East.”
The language is more moderate than an internal dissenting memo from the State Department accusing Biden of providing “misinformation” in a speech he gave three days after the Hamas attack.
Palestinians injured in Israeli raids arrive at Nasser Medical Hospital on November 14
Smoke rises over Gaza on Tuesday. Israel has been carrying out heavy bombing since October 7, when Hamas terrorists spread out of the area and killed at least 1,200 people.
It also suggests an equivalence between the more than 200 hostages held by Hamas and those held in Israeli prisons.
“We strongly encourage the (US government) to advocate for the release of hostages held by both Hamas and (Israel),” the report says, according to Axios, citing “thousands” of Palestinians being held in Israel.
Overall, it reflects the message of progressives across the country who are chafing at Washington’s close support of Israel, which the authors accuse of war crimes in the attacks on Gaza.
“Yet we have failed to reassess our stance toward Israel,” the memo said. “We have doubled our unwavering military assistance to the (Israeli government) without clear or actionable red lines.”
The memo used an internal, confidential channel for dissent. It was set up during the Vietnam War to give officials a chance to share their concerns without fear of punishment.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to messages with an email to department staff on Monday.
“We listen: what you share shapes our policies and messages,” he said, according to the New York Times, adding that he understood how the conflict took a personal toll on employees.