A former U.S. military intelligence official, Harrison Mann, has resigned over his moral objections to US support for Israel’s war in Gaza. In a letter to his colleagues, Mann expressed his guilt and shame for helping to advance a policy that he believes has contributed to the mass killing of Palestinians.
Mann, an Army major, is the first known DIA official to quit over U.S. support to Israel. He said he kept quiet about his motives for resigning for months out of fear, but decided to speak out now because he believes it is the right thing to do.
In his letter, Mann said that he had reached a point where he could no longer reconcile his conscience with his job. “At some point — whatever the justification — you’re either advancing a policy that enables the mass starvation of children, or you’re not,” he wrote.
Mann’s resignation comes as the Biden administration has come under increasing pressure to take a more critical stance toward Israel’s actions in Gaza. Last week, the administration announced that it was reviewing arms sales to Israel, and on Friday, the State Department said that Israel’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons may have violated international humanitarian law.
The high death toll in Gaza has also fueled pro-Palestinian protests across the United States. Democrats in key battleground states have voted “uncommitted” to signal their unhappiness with the administration’s handling of the situation.
Mann’s resignation is a reminder of the growing unease within the U.S. military and government over the U.S.’s relationship with Israel. It is also a sign of the increasing international pressure on Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza.
