Ex-State Department official explains resigning over U.S. policy in Gaza

Amna Nawaz:

Another U.S. government official announced today she has resigned to protest the Biden administration's policy toward Israel.

At least half-a-dozen officials in the State, Defense, Education and Interior departments have done so since the war in Gaza began following Hamas' October 7 attack.

The latest official is Stacy Gilbert leaving the State Department after a 20-year career.

Nick Schifrin is back now with that story.

Nick Schifrin:

The officials who helped shape America's national security policy often disagree on key decisions, sometimes publicly.

But the war in Gaza has created more internal dissent and public resignations than perhaps any recent U.S. policy challenge.

And, today, Stacy Gilbert, former senior civil military adviser in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, wrote — quote — "I cannot continue working for a government that denies and enables Israel's deliberate carnage in Gaza" — unquote.

And Stacy Gilbert joins me now.

Thanks very much. Welcome to the "NewsHour."

Why have you chosen to resign, rather than fight for policy within the State Department?

Stacy Gilbert, Former Senior State Department Official:

This follows a lot of frustration about the policy, but especially seeing what's happening in Gaza.

When this national security memo directive came out in early February, which directed the State Department and Department of Defense to write a report to Congress assessing countries on two things, their ability to adhere to international humanitarian law, also known as the law of war or the Geneva Conventions, and whether they facilitate and not block humanitarian assistance — I have worked in government for a long time.

I'm not one who relishes getting tasked with more reports, but I thought, this is a report that actually could have some impact. I was mostly focused on humanitarian assistance.

So, when the report came out on May 10, and I read the conclusion, especially the conclusion on — that Israel was not blocking humanitarian assistance, I decided I would resign, because that was absolutely not the opinion of subject matter experts in the State Department, USAID, the humanitarian community, organizations that are working in Gaza.

Nick Schifrin:

And those subject matter experts included you, because you were participating in the report.

Stacy Gilbert:

Yes. Yes.

Nick Schifrin:

Let me bring it up.

Here's the quote from the State Department report that you reference: "We do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance within the meaning of Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act."

That's a reference to a law about humanitarian assistance. Now, as you say, that was not the opinion of you, your other colleagues, some of your other colleagues, in the State Department and USAID.

And you write this — quote — "There is abundant evidence showing Israel is responsible for blocking aid. To deny this is absurd and shameful."

What is your evidence for that?

Stacy Gilbert:

There are databases.

For any day, you could get quantifiable data about how many trucks are backed up at the border, how many tons of flour have not been allowed in. And, sometimes, things get in, but, most often, things are delayed, blocked. There are other bureaucratic impediments to delivering that aid.

We have the data. It is known. The organizations working on the ground in Gaza have sent numerous reports detailing those obstacles. So to look at that information and assess that Israel is not blocking aid is ludicrous.

Nick Schifrin:

The report does criticize Israel for — quote — "not fully cooperating" with U.S. efforts to maximize aid delivery, but it goes on to point out that Hamas is embedded in the civilian population and appropriated aid for military purposes.

And it points out that Israel substantially increased aid in early to mid-April as the report was being released. So, doesn't that mean that Israel was not blocking aid at the time the report was released?

Stacy Gilbert:

Israel has been blocking aid throughout this. And it's like turning on and off a spigot. Sometimes, aid comes in. Often, it gets turned off.

And it is simply not enough to address the needs in Gaza. It hasn't been. That's why there is a famine. Famine is not…

Nick Schifrin:

The U.N. has not declared a famine. They have said famine is looming.

Stacy Gilbert:

Yes.

Nick Schifrin:

The World Food Program executive director has declared famine in Northern Gaza.

Stacy Gilbert:

There is — the conditions for famine are there, widespread. It is severe malnutrition.

And the remedy for that is certainly more food. The assistance that Israel allows in has been minimal. It has been turned on, turned off. And it's not just assistance going in. It's things like visas for aid workers. It's a range of obstacles they have posed.

Nick Schifrin:

We should say that Israel has said it doesn't block aid, and it actually has blamed the U.N., as you know, for the ability or inability, as Israel has argued, in order to deliver that aid.

And you accused officials in the United States State Department of denying the facts. That's a quote from your letter. And here's what deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said today.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson:

We stand by the National Security Memorandum 20 report.

We are not an administration or a department that twists the facts, and allegations that we have are unfounded.

Nick Schifrin:

Did the State Department twist the facts?

Stacy Gilbert:

They did.

Again, I — the subject matter experts are in consensus on this that Israel has blocked humanitarian assistance in many ways.

Nick Schifrin:

The report that you drafted, that you saw, the version of the report that you saw was changed, you told me earlier today, by undersecretary-level, kind of number three level, underneath the secretary of state.

Isn't that normal, though? Isn't it normal for people like you to draft things and then the ultimate decision goes to high-level people, including the secretary?

Stacy Gilbert:

What typically happens is, the subject matter experts draft the report and it goes through a clearance process. That's very common.

In this case, subject matter experts were removed from the report and it was drafted at a higher level. That's not to say there aren't other constraints that the humanitarian aid organizations face, but I'm also resigning in part to speak up for them.

Nick Schifrin:

Stacy Gilbert, former senior civil military adviser in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, thanks very much.

Stacy Gilbert:

Thank you.