Hala Rharrit, a former American diplomat who resigned in protest against the Joe Biden administration’s stance on the Israel-Hamas War, expressed concern that the United States was on the “wrong side of history.”
Rharrit, who served as an Arabic language spokesperson for the Department of State at the time of her resignation, was troubled by what she viewed as a misguided approach by the U.S. government.
While the Biden administration, including President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has begun to criticize Israel’s conduct in the war more openly, some within the administration believe these actions are insufficient. Rharrit’s resignation was the first of several high-profile exits in protest.
“I’m fundamentally concerned that we’re on the wrong side of history and we are hurting our interests,” Rharrit told CNN.
Two other State Department officials, Josh Paul and Annelle Sheline, also left the Biden administration in protest. Additionally, internal “dissent cables,” memos expressing disagreement with Blinken’s policies, have been circulated within the State Department under a channel established during the Vietnam War era.
Rharrit highlighted what she saw as double standards in U.S. policy regarding the effects of war and humanitarian crises, emphasizing the importance of standing by principles without exception.
“As the United States, we have to stand on our principles. We cannot make exceptions. Our allies and our adversaries are watching, and it is hurting us as a nation,” she said.
Rharrit explained that there was no single moment that led to her resignation but rather a cumulative effect of what she viewed as a destabilizing American policy throughout the war.
She noted that polls indicated a rise in anti-American sentiment across the Middle East due to the Biden administration’s stance on the conflict, and she warned the State Department that its approach risked dehumanizing Palestinians, a concern that she believes was realized.
Rharrit expressed the difficulty of grappling with the notion that U.S. policy may be complicit in civilian casualties and the challenge of reconciling that information when one is not in a position to change the policy.
