Former Biden official Tariq Habash.

Biden Officials Who Quit Over Gaza
Launch Effort for ‘New Policy’ in Middle East
Jessica Corbett / Common Dreams

(October 16, 2024) — Two Biden administration officials who resigned in protest over federal policy on Israel and the Gaza Strip launched an advocacy effort Wednesday to “seek change in US policy towards the Middle East.”

By creating both a lobbying arm and a political action committee, co-founders Josh Paul and Tariq Habash say their project, including A New Policy and its companion A New Policy PAC, aims to better “represent the majority of Americans” who disagree with the government’s approach to Israel-Palestine as well as the broader Middle East.

Paul, who spent 11 years as director of congressional and public affairs for the US State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, resigned last October, and Habash, a Palestinian American who served as a policy adviser in the Education Department’s Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, left his post in January.

“The past year has shown us just how deeply damaging our policy in the Middle East is — to the region, and to America,” Paul said in a statement. “We’ve spent billions of taxpayer dollars while sacrificing national interests and global credibility, the safety of all people in the region has been compromised while Palestinians, in Gaza in particular, endure immeasurable suffering, and now we’re on the brink of a regional war.”

The groups are launching with the belief that US policy toward Israel and Palestine should:

• Advance American national security and foreign policy interests in the Middle East, and should contribute to peace and prosperity for all Americans;
• Reflect American values in our policy towards the Middle East, including freedom, equality, and human rights, and should enhance the health, security, welfare, and prosperity of all peoples; and
• Comply with American and international law, including laws, regulations, and policies governing the transfer of arms equally to all countries in the Middle East, including Israel.

This is an issue that continues to undermine our own national interests and our American values in a way that is dangerous in the long term,” Habash said, with Paul echoing that the issue will persist regardless of who becomes president.

“This past year has brought unimaginable pain and suffering to Palestinians in Gaza. For decades, elected officials have compromised American interests in favor of funding Israel’s continued oppression of Palestinians,” said Habash.

“American voters are clear: They do not want to be complicit in this humanitarian catastrophe and a majority want an end to the transfer of lethal weapons that are used to kill Palestinian civilians. Elected officials have not kept up with the sea change in public opinion and A New Policy will work to close this gap.”