A senior US State Department official, Jop Paul, has left his post in connection with US President Joe Biden’s decision to supply arms to Israel amid an escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This was reported by the New York Post.
“I promised myself that I would stay (at the State Department – ed.) as long as I felt that the harm I could do could be outweighed by the good I could do… I am leaving because I believe that under our current course on… supplying lethal weapons to Israel… I have reached the limits of that arrangement,” Paul said.
The publication noted that the senior official had been at the US State Department for more than 10 years. The politician worked in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which manages arms sales.
Washington has already transferred a batch of ammunition to Israel, including for the Iron Dome air defence system, and promises to continue supplying arms. The American leader promised to ask the U.S. Congress for a large aid package for Israel.
Recall that earlier The Wall Street Journal said that the primary goal of the American President’s visit to Israel is the release of hostages “Hamas”. The newspaper noted that American representatives are working with both Turkey and Qatar, which have lines of communication with the Palestinian movement. The WSJ publication noted that Biden’s visit to Israel is also linked to his political campaign for the presidential election. However, the newspaper stressed that although the prevailing majority of US citizens support the Israelis, some Democrats have already criticised the IDF’s retaliatory strikes on residential neighbourhoods in the Gaza Strip and called for a ceasefire with immediate humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.