Former Biden officials who resigned over Gaza urge 2028 candidates not to hire 'pro-war' staff

A letter to presidential candidates

A group of former officials and staff of the White House and the State Department, who left the Joe Biden administration in protest against its support for Israel during the war in Gaza, has appealed to contenders for the 2028 presidential nomination with a demand not to hire people 'responsible for genocide.' The National reports this. The letter contains a direct call: candidates must 'commit not to hire any administration official directly responsible for facilitating Israel's military actions in Gaza.'

Accusations against the 'architects' of the policy

The signatories accused senior officials of the Biden administration — the 'architects' of the Gaza policy — of 'actively whitewashing' their role. 'US officials take a solemn oath to the Constitution and the American people,' the letter says. 'When they violate it, transgressing our laws, our interests and our basic values, we must hold them accountable.' The authors argue that these officials, given the opportunity to defend the law, 'not only remained silent but actively worked toward unlawful and illegitimate ends in violation of both US law and international law.'

Context of the 2024 resignations

The resignations took place in 2024, when Washington continued to send weapons and aid to the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Among the signatories of the letter is Annelle Sheline, a former State Department employee. Immediately after resigning in April 2024, she told The National that US support for Israel made advancing human rights in the Middle East 'so difficult' that she 'genuinely could no longer do the job she was hired to do,' and that she no longer wanted to be associated with this administration.

Political backdrop

Although two years remain until the election, speculation about potential contenders for the White House is already underway. According to the outlet's observation, Republicans still tend to publicly support Israel, while progressive Democrats openly criticize the longtime US ally. Kamala Harris, vice president under Biden, faced serious difficulties among progressive voters because of her involvement in the administration's work. The letter ends with a reminder to all American officials of their duty to follow the law and 'every day, in easy and difficult circumstances, do the right things.'