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, mentioned three folks conversant in the matter.
Andrew Miller, the deputy assistant secretary for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, advised colleagues Friday that he had determined to go away 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 advised colleagues that if not for these obligations, he would have most popular to stay in his job and battle 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 issues amongst some that affect over coverage issues has been dominated by a slim coterie of President Biden’s closest advisers. Miller is probably the most senior U.S. official to resign so far whose portfolio focuses on Israeli-Palestinian points.
“His departure will probably be a loss for the administration typically and the State Division specifically,” mentioned Suzanne Maloney, vice chairman and director of international coverage on the Brookings Establishment. “It’s a telling indicator of the final toll that the battle has taken on those that have been working to cope with 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 regarding 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 throughout 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 choice to go away spoke on the situation of anonymity to be candid a couple of personnel matter.
“Andrew introduced deep expertise and sharp perspective to the desk each day,” mentioned 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 professional who has suggested each Democratic and Republican administrations, referred to as Andrew Miller a “good” and “inventive” diplomat however mentioned it had change into tough for officers on the division’s Bureau of Close to Japanese Affairs to affect coverage.
“He was caught in a bureau of well-intentioned and succesful Overseas Service officers who’ve had little or no impression on U.S. coverage earlier than and even following October 7,” mentioned Aaron Miller, noting the date when Hamas militants led a cross-border assault into Israel that killed 1,200 folks 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, based on native well being authorities, and divided officers throughout the U.S. authorities in regards to 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 — whilst Israel employed indiscriminate bombing techniques and impeded entry to humanitarian support. 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, similar 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 companies. Officers within the division have not too long ago been subjected to electronic mail campaigns encouraging protest resignations associated to the battle.
One U.S. official who is aware of Andrew Miller mentioned 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 following Hamas’s assault. Miller is claimed to have believed that the leverage america has over Israel as its greatest army, financial and political backer may have been used extra successfully.
“He’s actually on the extra progressive facet of administration officers in the case of the area, together with on Israel-Palestine, however he has additionally by no means been a ‘burn all of it down and forgo pragmatism’ kind,” mentioned the official. “He has at all times advocated that america ought to help Palestinian rights and statehood, however his advocacy whereas in authorities has typically been quiet and measured.”
Andrew Miller’s departure shocked many contained in the division, and a number of other U.S. officers mentioned he appealed to all sides of the contentious Israeli-Palestinian dispute. “Throughout his time on the State Division, he was an unmatched supporter of Israel’s safety and deeply hooked up to the battle in opposition to antisemitism,” mentioned a senior State Division official who labored with him extensively over time.
