WASHINGTON — Former U.S. State Department diplomat Hala Rharrit has delivered a scathing assessment of former Biden administration officials who have publicly expressed regret over Washington’s unconditional military backing of Israel during the war on Gaza.
Speaking in an interview on Middle East Eye’s Real Talk, Rharrit—an 18-year Foreign Service officer and former Arabic-language spokesperson who resigned in April 2024—rejected recent post-service reflections from top aides like ex-National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. She argued that officials possessed full access to real-time intelligence on civilian casualties and humanitarian collapse, yet refused to utilize their authority to condition or halt U.S. weapons transfers while still in office.
“They actually had the power to stop unconditional arms assistance to Israel,” Rharrit said, accusing former decision-makers of attempting to rewrite history. “The Israelis were killing the Palestinians with American bombs, with American jets, with American everything. We enabled it 100 percent”.
Rharrit was among a wave of high-profile resignations from the U.S. government—alongside officials including Josh Paul, Annelle Sheline, and Harrison Mann—protesting Washington’s Gaza policy. She maintained that the administration’s posture severely damaged American diplomatic credibility across the Middle East, leaving a legacy of instability and resentment that will persist for generations.