State Department official steps down following Biden administration’s statement that Israel is not obstructing Gaza aid.

In a bold move that has sent shockwaves through the State Department, career official Stacy Gilbert resigned from her post on Tuesday, citing her inability to continue working for the Biden administration. Gilbert, who served as a senior civilian-military advisor to the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, made the decision after the administration released a report that she believed made the wrong assessment regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The report in question was a response to President Joe Biden’s national security memorandum, which questioned whether Israel’s use of US weapons violated international law. The report found that there were reasonable grounds to believe Israel had used American-supplied weapons in ways inconsistent with humanitarian law. However, it stopped short of definitively concluding that arms transfers should be suspended.

One key aspect of the report was an evaluation of whether Israel was impeding the flow of aid into Gaza. Aid agencies and rights groups have long accused Israel of restricting the amount of aid allowed into the besieged enclave. While the report acknowledged that the aid entering Gaza was insufficient, it did not find evidence that Israel was actively blocking US efforts to deliver aid.

Following the release of the report, the International Court of Justice called on Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah and allow more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, which is on the brink of famine according to aid workers and the UN.

Gilbert’s resignation was met with praise from rights groups and activists who have been critical of the Biden administration’s support for Israel. Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, commended Gilbert for her courage and principles, while Josh Paul, an official overseeing US arms transfers, welcomed her departure as a sign of the administration’s failure to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Gilbert’s resignation adds to a growing list of officials who have stepped down in protest against US support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Earlier this month, Lilly Greenberg Call became the first Jewish-American political official to resign over the issue. Other high-profile resignations include Major Harrison Mann from the Department of Defense Intelligence Agency, Hala Rharrit from the State Department, and Annelle Sheline, a foreign affairs officer.

The wave of resignations underscores the deep divisions within the Biden administration over its policies towards Israel and Gaza. As more officials choose to speak out and take a stand, the pressure on the administration to reassess its approach continues to mount. Gilbert’s resignation serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and complexities involved in navigating the US-Israel relationship in the context of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.