When Maryam Hassanein joined the US Department of Interior as an appointee under the Biden administration in January, she hoped that Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza would soon cease. However, when the US approved a $1 billion arms deal with Israel in the spring, Hassanein felt compelled to raise her voice for justice. She drew inspiration from the steadfastness of students involved in the anti-war movement at George Washington University, where she had participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
“The courage of the students leading that movement nationwide made me reflect on my own responsibilities,” Hassanein said. “It pushed me to advocate more strongly for an end to the bloodshed in Palestine.”
Last month, Hassanein joined the ranks of at least a dozen officials who have resigned from the Biden administration in protest of the US’s support for Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, where the Gaza health ministry reports over 40,000 Palestinian deaths since October 7. Hassanein emphasized the importance of making her voice heard publicly when it was being silenced in her role.
In a Zoom call hosted by the civil rights organization Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Tuesday, Hassanein, alongside Hala Rharrit, a former US State Department diplomat who resigned in April, shared their experiences of witnessing the Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bias they believe underpin the Biden administration’s Middle East policies.
Rharrit, who resigned after nearly two decades at the State Department, said she could no longer tolerate the continuous dehumanization of Palestinians by US officials following the October 7 attack by Hamas. She noted that while robust debate was once encouraged at the State Department, that atmosphere had changed dramatically over the past year. “For the first time in my 18 years of service, I experienced fear of retaliation, silencing, and self-censorship,” she said.
Rharrit explained that when engaging with Arab media, she was instructed to push the narrative that Israel had the right to defend itself. In one instance, when she tried to include an image of a Palestinian child dying of starvation in a presentation, she was harshly criticized. She also recounted a disturbing moment in a group chat where diplomats discussed Egyptian journalists, with one colleague expressing disbelief that Egyptians had built the pyramids.
“This policy is a failure,” Rharrit said, referring to US aid to Israel. “As Americans and taxpayers funding these bombs and weapons, we must collectively voice our opposition and declare: enough is enough.”
In her position at the Interior Department, Hassanein joined other staff in signing letters, attending rallies, and participating in vigils, but soon realized her voice was being ignored. “I don’t want to just be a Muslim in public service for the sake of representation,” she stated. “I want my perspective, my background, and the fact that I represent Muslim communities in this country to be genuinely considered.” She also expressed disappointment with the Democratic National Convention’s decision to deny Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman a speaking slot.
Since her public resignation last month, Hassanein has not received any response from her former employer. Both the Interior Department and the State Department have remained silent on the matter.
Hassanein criticized the Harris-Walz campaign for not doing enough to change course on Gaza policy. She is undecided on whether to vote for Harris in November and is waiting to see a significant shift in the US’s stance on Gaza before making her decision. CAIR has urged the public to demand that the State Department and the White House uphold US law by halting the transfer of weapons to Israel.
Reflecting on the current situation, Rharrit expressed hope: “As horrific as all of this has been, I pray that we emerge with a renewed understanding of what needs to be done, with a commitment to healing, and to treating each other with humanity, dignity, and respect, regardless of our backgrounds.”
