RESIGNED: The Former Biden Admin Officials Who Left Their Jobs Over Gaza

FMEP is honored to host Josh Paul, Tariq Habash, and Annelle Sheline for their first joint public appearance and conversation over their individual decisions to resign from their jobs in the Biden Administration over the President’s policy on Israel, Palestine, and the ongoing war in Gaza. We discuss the Biden Administration’s policy and decision-making, and the possibilities for changing course, as well as the personal stakes, choices, and costs of public protest against the U.S.’s close embrace of Israel and its brutal war on Gaza.
Rania Batrice is an activist and strategist for progressive change, a public relations specialist, and a political consultant. She is one of two FMEP 2024 Palestinian non-resident Fellows.
Tariq Habash was a political appointee and policy advisor in the Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development. He worked to overhaul the broken student loan system, provide relief to millions of borrowers, and address inequities across American higher education. Tariq was the second government official, and the only political appointee to resign from the administration due to its policy on Gaza and unrestricted support for Israel’s aggression against Palestinians. Prior to joining the government, Habash was a cofounder of the Student Borrower Protection Center, a national research and advocacy nonprofit where he led the organization’s investigative work on student loan and consumer finance policies. Habash also spent years at The Century Foundation, working on higher education affordability, accountability, and consumer protection issues. He holds degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Miami.
Josh Paul is former Director of Congressional & Public Affairs in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in the U.S. Department of State, a position from which he resigned in October 2023 due to his disagreement with the U.S. policy of providing lethal arms to Israel in the context of the conflict in Gaza. He previously served in roles including as the desk officer for Iraqi Internal Security Forces in the Office of the Secretary of Defense; as a National Security Consultant to the Government of Iraq on behalf of the United States; as Security Sector Governance Advisor to the Palestinian Authority on behalf of the U.S. Security Coordinator, as a Military Legislative Assistant to a Member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Dr. Annelle Sheline was a foreign affairs officer at the Office of Near Eastern Affairs in the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. She received her doctorate from George Washington University’s department of political science and her bachelor’s degree from New York University’s Gallatin School.

[@sarahadam8334]

i salute you all, you restore our faith in humanity

[@SuperOceanfront1]

Thank you for providing these courageous individuals. I hope more people see this video.

[@poetry-and-protest]

Congratulations to each of these brave individuals for taking a decision which requires courage and which also has had a huge impact.

[@Mimicry161]

This was great. Needs more views!

[@CoachZahabi]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@dayzdnconfuz3d]

I love how snappy Josh Paul always dresses . Also thank you to these 3 brave souls. We need more people like them in the world!

[@PauloAdriano-zo2ng]

Yes, he looks sharp. 😊

[@rez_tu]

People with integrity 🫡 salutations

[@RobinHerzig]

Shoutout to FMEP's Lara Friedman for appearing in Al Jazeera's October 7 documentary ✊ great seeing her in that important piece 👏

[@laleodekon5085]

A US diplomat quit recently