US State Department's Arabic spokeswoman resigns over Gaza policy

Hala Rharrit also served as the Dubai Regional Media Hub’s deputy director

Hala Rharrit called for 'diplomacy, not arms'. US Department of State

The US State Department's Arabic-language spokeswoman has resigned over Washington's Gaza policy.

“I resigned April 2024 after 18 years of distinguished service in opposition to the United States’ Gaza policy. Diplomacy, not arms. Be a force for peace and unity,” the bio portion of a LinkedIn page believed to belong to Hala Rharrit said.

Ms Rharrit's resignation took effect on Wednesday, according to her State Department biography page.

She also served as the Dubai Regional Media Hub’s deputy director.

A State Department official confirmed to The National that Ms Rharrit no longer works for the Dubai Media Hub.

She first joined the Foreign Service in 2006. Her tours have included Yemen, Hong Kong, Qatar and South Africa.

In a previous interview with Al Arabiya News, which first reported her resignation, Ms Rharrit had warned about the generational cycle of violence and advocated for a return to diplomacy, not more arms transfers.

“There are channels … through which our workforce can share their points of view when they disagree with a certain policy or a certain action that the US government is taking,” Vedant Patel, deputy State Department spokesman, told reporters on Thursday after being asked about Ms Rharrit's reported resignation.

He added that dissenting opinions “help lead to stronger, more robust policymaking".

“Ultimately, anybody's decision on whether they want to continue to repeat, remain employed somewhere or not, that is ultimately a decision for them to make.”

Ms Rharrit is the latest State Department employee to resign over President Joe Biden's policy on Gaza, where more than 34,300 people have been killed amid the Israeli siege, according to local health authorities.

Late last month, staffer Annelle Sheline resigned publicly over the administration's Gaza policy.

Josh Paul, another staffer who resigned last year over Gaza, told The National in March that while the resignations have likely put pressure on the administration, “it will still take an awful lot to actually shift” its actions.

There has been growing domestic discontent over Washington's continued support of Israel, which includes a bill that was signed into law this week allocating $26 billion in aid to Israel.

US State Department official condemns Gaza policy after announcing resignation – video