U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is responding to growing criticism from diplomats in the State Department over the Biden administration’s policy on the Israel-Hamas war. Officials told multiple news outlets that at least three messages have been filed in the department’s internal dissent channel, a system set up during the Vietnam War, criticizing the administration’s firm support for Israel as the country continues its military operation in Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack.
“The anguish that comes with seeing the daily images of babies, children, elderly people, women, and other civilians suffering in this crisis is wrenching. I feel it myself,”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
More than 100 staffers at the State Department and USAID signed onto an internal memo urging U.S. officials to reassess policies on Israel and call for an immediate ceasefire. Though the U.S. has called for humanitarian pauses to allow more aid and the evacuation of civilians, hundreds of U.S. government employees have been advocating for a ceasefire.
In his letter emailed to State Department staffers, Blinken, who had just returned after a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Asia, acknowledged that the suffering caused by the crisis was taking a personal toll on many of them.
“The anguish that comes with seeing the daily images of babies, children, elderly people, women, and other civilians suffering in this crisis is wrenching. I feel it myself,” Blinken wrote. “I also know that some people in the department may disagree with approaches we are taking or have views on what we can do better…We’re listening: what you share is informing our policy and our messages.”
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Blinken said forums for diplomats are being organized in D.C., and managers are being asked to have candid discussions with their staff to get additional feedback.
