Third State Dept official resigns over US Gaza policy

Hala Rharrit, the Arabic-language spokeswoman for the US State Department, has resigned in protest against White House support for Israel’s war on Gaza.

Her resignation, effective Wednesday, was confirmed through her State Department biography page. The State Department is the US equivalent of other nations’ foreign ministries.

In a statement on the social networking site LinkedIn, Rharrit stated, “I resigned in 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.”

Rharrit worked for the State Department for almost two decades, including as the Deputy Director of the Dubai Regional Media Hub. She fulfilled assignments in various countries, including Yemen, Hong Kong, Qatar, and South Africa.

Rharrit is the third to submit her resignation to the State Department in protest of President Joe Biden’s and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Gaza policy.