In a recent interview with NPR’s All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly, Hala Rharrit, a veteran Arabic-speaking public affairs official with the State Department, announced her resignation in protest of the Biden administration’s approach to the conflict in Gaza.

Rharrit, who served for 18 years and held the position of deputy director of the Dubai media hub, becomes the third public resignation within the department over this issue.

Rharrit explained that her decision to resign was a culmination of ongoing dissatisfaction with U.S. policy in Gaza. She expressed concerns about how the policy was undermining American  interests, destabilizing the Middle East, and failing to uphold principles such as human rights and press freedom.

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Forced to Follow the Status Quo

According to Rharrit, attempts to voice dissent through official channels were met with resistance and shunning, ultimately leading to her resignation.

Rharrit said in the interview, “I can only tell you about what I’ve experienced, right? But it’s a very strange time in the State Department, I would say. Something that I’ve never experienced before in my 18 years of service, where people are just extremely uneasy about our policy and also extremely uneasy about the ability to speak about our policy internally.”

During the interview, Rharrit highlighted the need for a shift away from violence and unconditional military support, advocating instead for diplomacy and leveraging U.S. influence to promote a two-state solution in the region.

She urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reconsider the current approach, emphasizing the long-term consequences of continued conflict in Gaza.

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Rharrit’s resignation and outspoken critique underscore a growing internal discontent within the State Department regarding U.S. policies in the Middle East.

Her call for a more diplomatic strategy reflects broader concerns among diplomats and foreign service officers about the effectiveness and ethical implications of U.S. actions in the region.

To hear the interview, visit NPR.