Education Department Official Resigns Amid Controversy Surrounding Biden Administration's Stance on the Israel-Hamas Conflict
Department of Education official resigns, criticizing Biden administration's approach to Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza
A political appointee at the Department of Education, Tariq Habash, resigned on Wednesday, criticizing the Biden administration's approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The conflict, which began with Hamas' attacks on Israel in October, has continued for nearly three months with no resolution in sight. This resignation follows another public departure from the administration over its handling of the war.
Habash expressed in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona that all violence against innocent individuals is terrible, regardless of nationality. He stated that he cannot continue to represent an administration that does not value all human life equally and remains silent on the atrocities committed against innocent Palestinian lives. In response to Habash's resignation, a Department of Education spokesperson wished him the best in his future endeavors.
In an interview with CNN's Abby Phillip on Wednesday, Habash directly called out President Joe Biden. "The president's failure to demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire is unacceptable to the millions of Americans across the country," he stated on "NewsNight."
Biden has been under increasing pressure to demand a ceasefire in the conflict. While the president has expressed his backing for Israel's right to self-defense, he has also emphasized his administration's efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. He has urged Israel to prioritize the protection of civilian lives and cautioned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could lose international support due to the ongoing bombardment of Gaza.
Last month, the president stated that the US will maintain its leadership in providing humanitarian support to innocent Palestinian civilians and stressed the importance of protecting civilian lives to their Israeli allies.
Habash's resignation comes after former State Department official Josh Paul's departure in October, as he disagreed with the ongoing lethal assistance to Israel. Habash urged President Biden to use his influence to stop the violence and demand an end to indiscriminate attacks on Palestinians by the Israeli government.
Since the start of the conflict, at least 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza, as reported by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. In a letter, Palestinian American Habash stated that he brought a critical and underrepresented perspective to the Biden administration's efforts on equity and justice.
In the letter, Habash highlighted the impact of the conflict in the US, noting that Jewish, Muslim, and Arab college students have expressed feeling less safe on campuses. He emphasized the need for the Department of Education to support institutions in addressing the needs of students, faculty, and staff, including protecting students who engage in nonviolent actions and express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Since the war began, numerous protests and counterprotests have occurred on college campuses, and some have escalated to violence. The Department of Education (DOE) has initiated an unprecedented number of Title VI investigations into college campuses since October 7, including ones at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, in response to complaints about alleged incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
This report includes contributions from CNN's Jason Seher, Samantha Waldenberg, Ariel Edwards-Levy, Matt Egan, Camila DeChalus, Kevin Liptak, MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt, and Jennifer Hansler.
