A Jewish official within the U.S. Interior Department has made history by being the first staff member appointed by President Joe Biden to step down due to disagreements with the administration’s position on Israel’s conflict in Gaza.
Lily Greenberg Call, the special assistant to the chief of staff in the Interior Department, resigned on Wednesday and accused Biden of using Jews as political pawns. Citing her Jewish heritage, she expressed her discontent with the situation.
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In her resignation letter, which was shared by the activist group IfNotNow, Call expressed her belief that any system that promotes the subjugation of one group over another is not only unjust, but also unsafe. She emphasized that the safety of the Jewish community should not be achieved at the expense of Palestinian freedom. Call further argued that making Jews the face of the American war machine actually undermines our safety.
Call voiced his rejection of the notion that the salvation of one group of people must come at the expense of another’s demise. He expressed his unwavering commitment to building a world where such circumstances do not arise, emphasizing that this objective cannot be achieved from within the Biden administration.
Among American Jews, who are generally strong supporters of Israel, Call stands in the minority with his characterization of the conflict against Hamas in Gaza as a “genocide.”
According to the Pew Research Center, a staggering 89% of American Jews believe that Israel’s reasons for engaging in war against Hamas are valid, regardless of their personal opinions on the methods being employed.
According to Call, the president holds the authority to initiate a permanent cease-fire, halt the supply of weapons to Israel, and make aid conditional. Call further criticizes the United States for not exerting its influence over the past eight months to hold Israel accountable. Instead, they argue that the U.S. has enabled and legitimized Israel’s actions by vetoing U.N. resolutions aimed at holding them accountable. Call goes on to state that President Biden bears responsibility for the loss of innocent lives.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has resulted in the loss of over 35,000 Palestinian lives. This tragic toll comes in the wake of the October 7th attacks led by Hamas, which claimed the lives of around 1,200 individuals in Israel.
Call’s resignation marks a significant development as she becomes the first Biden appointee to step down in response to Israel’s conflict in Gaza. However, she joins a growing number of mid- and senior-level administration staffers who have chosen to resign in protest.
