Andrew Miller, a State Division knowledgeable on Israel and Palestine, resigns amid the Gaza struggle

Miller’s resignation, which had not been beforehand introduced, comes amid rising frustration inside and out of doors authorities over the excessive variety of civilian deaths within the struggle. CSome consider that affect on coverage issues is dominated by a slender clique of President Biden’s closest advisors. Miller is essentially the most senior American official to resign to this point, and his portfolio focuses on Israeli-Palestinian points.

“His departure might be a loss for the administration normally and the State Division specifically,” stated Susan Maloney, vice chairman and director of international coverage on the Brookings Establishment. “It’s a clear indication of the general toll the battle has taken on those that have been working to cope with its safety implications for the USA and its allies.”

Individuals who know Miller describe him as a principled supporter of Palestinian rights and statehood, and a cautious thinker on Center East affairs. Earlier than focusing his work on Israeli-Palestinian points, he was senior coverage advisor to the US ambassador to the United Nations, and throughout the Obama administration, he served as director of army points for Egypt and Israel on the White Home Nationwide Safety Council.

Folks aware of Miller’s resolution to go away spoke on the situation of anonymity to be frank a few personnel matter.

“Andrew introduced deep expertise and a pointy perspective to the desk day by day,” State Division spokesman Matthew Miller stated. “Everybody right here is sorry to see him go, however we want him nicely in his subsequent endeavors.”

Aaron David Miller, a Center East knowledgeable who has suggested each Democratic and Republican administrations, described Andrew Miller as a “good” and “artistic” diplomat, however stated it has turn into troublesome for officers within the division’s Bureau of Close to Jap Affairs to affect coverage.

“He was caught in an workplace of well-meaning and succesful Overseas Service officers who had little or no affect on American coverage earlier than and even after October 7,” Aaron Miller stated, referring to the date on which Hamas militants led an assault. Throughout borders. to Israel, killing 1,200 folks and taking greater than 240 hostage.

State Division spokesman Matthew Miller rejected that characterization of the workplace, noting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accompanied its chief, Barbara Leff, on all eight of his journeys to the Center East since October 7, and has relied on her extensively. It 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, in keeping with native well being authorities, and sparked a division amongst US authorities officers over the suitable response.

Originally of the battle, Biden gave his full assist to the Israelis, injecting weapons into the battle and offering diplomatic and political cowl in worldwide establishments — whilst Israel used indiscriminate bombing techniques and obstructed humanitarian entry. Regardless of this assist, Netanyahu has repeatedly ignored US calls for to take a extra surgical strategy in Gaza and chorus from exacerbating tensions with the Palestinians, reminiscent of withholding tax revenues and utilizing inflammatory rhetoric.

Though the Gaza coverage was deeply divisive within the US authorities, it solely led to a couple resignations on the State Division, the Pentagon, and different federal companies. Ministry officers have just lately been subjected to electronic mail campaigns encouraging protest resignations associated to the dispute.

A US official who is aware of Andrew Miller stated he was “forward of the curve” in recognizing the hazards of what turned often called the administration’s “bear hug” technique, a reference to Biden bodily embracing Netanyahu throughout a go to to Tel Aviv. Within the days following the Hamas assault. Miller is claimed to have believed that the affect the USA had over Israel as its largest army, financial and political backer might have been used extra successfully.

“He’s definitely on the extra progressive facet of administration officers in the case of the area, together with Israel and Palestine, however he has by no means been the sort to burn issues down and abandon pragmatism,” the official stated. “He has at all times advocated that the USA ought to assist Palestinian rights and a Palestinian state, however his advocacy whereas in authorities has typically been calm and measured.”

Andrew Miller’s departure stunned many throughout the ministry, and plenty of American officers stated that he had gained the admiration of all events to the controversial Israeli-Palestinian battle. “Throughout his time on the State Division, he was an unparalleled supporter of Israel’s safety and deeply dedicated to the battle in opposition to anti-Semitism,” stated a senior State Division official who has labored with him extensively over time.