‘Destructive’ – US official resigns over Middle East policy

“Blind support for one side is destructive in the long term to the interests of people on both sides,” explains Paul, who started at the Political-Military Affairs Department eleven years ago. His office is responsible, among other things, for the transfer of lethal weapons to allies. It was therefore “clear to him from the beginning that I had to make moral compromises,” Paul continued. When it came to difficult decisions involving him, over the years the “good things” always outweighed the “damage I caused.” But now that is no longer the case.

“One thing is clear: Hamas’s attack on Israel was not just a monstrosity, it was a monstrosity of monstrosities. But I deeply believe that the Israeli response and American support for that response and the status quo will only increase the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians. And that is not in the long-term interest of the United States.” You cannot be against and for an occupation at the same time. You cannot be for and against freedom at the same time, the Foreign Ministry official emphasizes.

“We repeat our mistakes”
US policy in the Middle East is ‘impulsive’, based on ‘bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy and bureaucratic inertia’. “I fear we are repeating the mistakes we have made over the decades, and I no longer want to be part of that,” Paul wrote.

Biden: “Make sure Israel can defend itself”
In view of the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, US President Joe Biden wants to address the nation in a rare speech from the Oval Office on Thursday evening (local time). Biden will discuss the US response to Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the White House said on Wednesday evening after the head of state’s visit to Israel.

During his brief visit to Tel Aviv, Biden assured that the US would ensure Israel gets what it needs to defend itself. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Biden for his “unequivocal support.” During his meeting with the US president, Netanyahu called on the Western world to work together to defeat Hamas. The October 7 massacre in Israel proves that the organization embodies “pure evil,” the Israeli government leader said. “The civilized world must come together to defeat Hamas.” He again compared Hamas, which is also classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the US, to the Nazis and the Islamic State terrorist network.