Education Department Official Quits Over Biden's Gaza Stance

Education Department official, Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American, tendered his resignation on Wednesday, blaming President Joe Biden for ignoring the "atrocities committed against innocent Palestinian lives" in Gaza. He cited this in a two-page letter directed to Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona. In his resignation letter, Habash claimed that President Biden and Vice President Harris' policy decisions have endangered the lives of millions, especially the 2.3 million defenseless Palestinian citizens residing in Gaza who are constantly under attack and extermination by the Israeli government. Thus, he felt compelled to step down from his position.

Habash, who identifies himself as a descendant of Palestinian Christians who survived the violent relocation process to establish the state of Israel in 1948, wrote about how his relatives embarked on a 35-mile journey from Yaffa via Lydda to Ramallah to save their lives. He stated that his family members have been denied the opportunity to return to their ancestral homes in 75 years.

Despite the October 7 attack by Hamas militants, the U.S. has remained a strong ally of Israel supplying them with resources to continue their assault in the Gaza Strip. Last month, President Biden maintained his commitment to Israel, describing it as an "unshakeable" one. However, he cautioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the potential global backlash.

Habash claimed that U.S. military support leads to the loss of innocent lives, including children, journalists and healthcare providers. This, he argues, violates our moral responsibility to the wise allocation of our country's resources.

He expressed disapproval of the Israeli government's assertion that its primary target is to eliminate Hamas, rather than bringing Gaza to ruins. According to Gaza’s health authority, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the death of over 22,000 lives.

Habash called on the Education Department to safeguard the students' freedom to stage protests against the war. He noted the escalating violence meted out to Palestinian and Muslim Americans due to the conflict.

Before his resignation, Habash was appointed early in the Biden administration to oversee the department's Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, focusing on student loan borrowers. He also supported Biden's electoral campaign.

Habash’s resignation marks the second high-ranking official to leave the administration over the U.S. response to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Previously, veteran State Department official, Josh Paul called it quits in October, following the U.S. handling of the Israel-Gaza war. Paul had spent over a decade in a section of the department responsible for managing weapon deals.

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