Monday, November 4, 2024

Andrew Miller, State Dept. skilled on Israel-Palestine, quits amid Gaza warfare


A senior State Division official and skeptic of the Biden administration’s “bear hug” strategy to the federal government of Israel resigned this week in a setback for U.S. diplomats pushing for a sharper break with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition, stated three individuals conversant in the matter.

Andrew Miller, the deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs, instructed colleagues Friday that he determined to depart his job. He cited his household, saying he has seen them sparingly because the eight-month warfare in Gaza has change into all-consuming. Miller instructed colleagues that if not for these duties, he would have most well-liked to stay in his job and combat for what he believes, together with in these areas the place he disagreed with administration coverage.

Miller’s resignation, which has not been beforehand reported, comes amid rising frustration inside and out of doors authorities over the warfare’s steep civilian dying toll and concerns amongst some that affect over coverage issues has been dominated by a slim coterie of President Biden’s closest advisers. Miller is essentially the most senior U.S. official to resign up to now whose portfolio focuses on Israeli-Palestinian points.

“His departure will probably be a loss for the administration on the whole and the State Division specifically,” stated Suzanne Maloney, vice chairman and director of international coverage on the Brookings Establishment. “It’s a telling indicator of the overall toll that the battle has taken on those that have been working to take care of its safety implications for america and its allies.”

Individuals who know Miller describe him as a principled supporter of Palestinian rights and statehood, and a nuanced thinker about Center East affairs. Earlier than his job specializing in Israeli-Palestinian points, he was a senior coverage adviser to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and through the Obama administration, he served as director for Egypt and Israel army points on the White Home Nationwide Safety Council.

These conversant in Miller’s resolution to depart spoke on the situation of anonymity to be candid a few personnel matter.

“Andrew introduced deep expertise and sharp perspective to the desk on daily basis,” stated State Division spokesman Matthew Miller. “Everybody right here is sorry to see him go, however we want him nicely in his subsequent endeavors.”

Aaron David Miller, a Center East skilled who has suggested each Democratic and Republican administrations, known as Andrew Miller a “sensible” and “inventive” diplomat however stated it had change into tough for officers on the division’s Bureau of Close to East Affairs to affect coverage.

“He was caught in a bureau of well-intentioned and succesful International Service officers who’ve had little or no influence on U.S. coverage earlier than and even after October 7,” stated Aaron Miller, noting the date when Hamas militants led a cross-border assault into Israel that killed 1,200 individuals and took greater than 240 hostages.

Matthew Miller, the State Division spokesman, rejected that characterization of the bureau, noting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has introduced its chief, Barbara Leaf, on all eight of his journeys to the Center East since Oct. 7 and has relied on her extensively as she carries messages from him and the president to leaders all through the area.

Israel’s retaliatory army marketing campaign has killed greater than 37,000 Palestinians, in line with native well being authorities, and divided officers throughout the U.S. authorities concerning the acceptable response.

On the outset of the battle, Biden offered his full backing to the Israelis, surging weapons into the battle and offering diplomatic and political cowl at worldwide establishments — at the same time as Israel employed indiscriminate bombing techniques and impeded entry to humanitarian help. Regardless of that help, Netanyahu has repeatedly ignored U.S. calls for to take a extra surgical strategy in Gaza and chorus from exacerbating tensions with Palestinians, akin to withholding their tax income and utilizing incendiary rhetoric.

Although Gaza coverage has been deeply divisive within the U.S. authorities, it has prompted solely a handful of resignations on the State Division, Pentagon and different federal businesses. Officers within the division have just lately been subjected to e mail campaigns encouraging protest resignations associated to the battle.

One U.S. official who is aware of Andrew Miller stated he was “forward of the curve from the start” in recognizing the dangers of what has change into generally known as the administration’s “bear hug” technique, referring to Biden’s bodily embrace of Netanyahu throughout a go to to Tel Aviv within the days after Hamas’ assault. Miller is alleged to have believed that the leverage america has over Israel as its greatest army, financial and political backer may’ve been used extra successfully.

“He’s actually on the extra progressive aspect of administration officers relating to the area, together with on Israel-Palestine, however he has additionally by no means been a ‘burn all of it down and forego pragmatism’ kind,” stated the official. “He has all the time advocated that america ought to help Palestinian rights and statehood, however his advocacy whereas in authorities has usually been quiet and measured.”


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