Hundreds of Biden administration officials sign letter demanding cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war
WASHINGTON − More than 500 U.S. officials sent a letter Tuesday to President Joe Biden criticizing his policy in the Israel-Hamas war and calling for an immediate cease-fire, revealing a divide between Biden and many within his administration over his backing of Israel.
The letter, reported Tuesday by the New York Times, reflects the opposition Biden faces from many progressives - even some who work for him - for his unflinching support for Israel as it ratchets up airstrikes in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
The signees, who span 40 government agencies and include political appointees and staffers, are remaining anonymous, the Times reported, citing concerns of losing their jobs and their personal safety.
“We call on President Biden to urgently demand a cease-fire; and to call for de-escalation of the current conflict by securing the immediate release of the Israeli hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians; the restoration of water, fuel, electricity and other basic services; and the passage of adequate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip,” the letter reads.
The Times said it reviewed the letter. Many of the signatures are from employees in their 20s and 30s, underscoring a generational divide within the Democratic Party over the Israel-Hamas war.
Several progressive members of Congress have called for a cease-fire amid the growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza. The letter follows other dissent memos from State Department employees and a letter signed by employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, according to the Times.
The letter links to a poll from the left-leaning think tank Data for Progress showing 80% of Democrats, 57% of independent voters and 56% of Republicans believe the U.S. should call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
But a poll this week from YouGov found most Americans sympathize with Israel over the Palestinians by a 37%-15% margin. Another 27% said they sympathize with both sides about the same and 21% said they were unsure.
Biden, who pushed for "humanitarian pauses" in the war that Israel agreed to last week, has argued a cease-fire would benefit Hamas.
Biden was asked last week whether there's any chance of an Israeli cease-fire in Gaza. "None. No possibility," Biden said.
The White House responded to the protest letter by noting the anonymity of the signatories and highlighting a different letter released Tuesday by 127 former Obama and Biden administration officials who back Biden's actions and support for Israel amid the Mideast war.
"Notice that unlike some other letters," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said on X, formerly known as Twitter, this group "signed their names."
The letter in support of Biden's Israel policy includes former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Norm Eisen, former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic.
"As former Biden and Obama administration officials and campaign staff, we are writing to express our deep appreciation for your moral clarity, courageous leadership, and staunch support of Israel, one of our nation’s strongest allies, in the aftermath of the worst massacre of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust," their letter reads.
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.