Arabic-language Foreign Ministry spokesperson resigns over Gaza; American talking points just ‘inflamed’ anti-American sentiment

WASHINGTON — A growing number of U.S. federal government officials are believed to have resigned over dissatisfaction with Washington’s pro-Israel diplomatic stance on the ongoing fighting in Gaza.

Two former State Department officials spoke to the Yomiuri Shimbun and said they had resigned out of remorse and that many government officials had also resigned in April.

Hala Rharrit, 41, a former Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Arabic, resigned in late April over the government’s position on the war after an 18-year career as a diplomat.

She was one of the senior Foreign Ministry officials dealing with Arabic-language media and was based in the United Arab Emirates from 2022.

She has given more than 100 interviews as the face of the US government. However, after Israel’s retaliation against the Islamist organization Hamas last October, she began refusing to conduct interviews.

The United States, which continues to provide military support to Israel, was labeled a “child murderer” and a “devil” in Arab media and social media, and “the situation became so emotional,” she said. “It actually made people hate America even more… It really fueled the situation as we amped up our talking points.”

Her decision to refuse interviews on behalf of American interests provoked a cold response from Washington and her superiors.

Rharrit was accused by some of refusing her work. “Some have silenced me,” she said.

She sent daily reports to Washington warning of the rise of anti-Americanism in the Middle East and proposing diplomacy that did not rely on militaristic means, but which were not taken seriously.

Whatever she said from within, nothing has changed in terms of policy, Rharrit said. “The constant pushback I received from the department was just exhausting.”

Josh Paul, 46, former director of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, resigned about 10 days after Israel began its war on Gaza.

“We received multiple requests from the government of Israel to expedite arms transfers and we received guidance from higher levels of the U.S. government, both at the State Department and the White House, to move forward with these requests as quickly as possible and authorize it. transfers,” said Paul, 46. “There was no room for discussion or debate around this policy.”

He revealed that, to his knowledge, “about two dozen” people in the federal government have also resigned in the past month.