US State Department report on Israel-Gaza aid delivery faces allegations of bias.
A long-serving official with the US State Department has resigned, accusing the government body of distorting a key report on aid access to Gaza. Stacy Gilbert, who spent two decades advising on refugee issues, disagreed with the report’s assessment that Israel was not blocking humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
As mandated by a Presidential directive, the report examined America’s weapons supply to Israel and whether this violated international law during last month’s Gaza conflict. While acknowledging some Israeli actions did not comply with humanitarian norms, it gave the ally state a clean chit on obstructing aid.
Gilbert, who was involved in drafting the original findings, alleged experts overwhelmingly believed Israel played a role in restricting aid volumes. However, their consensus was overlooked to portray an incorrect political narrative. Two hours after the report’s release, she submitted her resignation, terming the altered conclusion as patently false.
The dissenting official has long-standing experience in the subject and enjoys credibility among aid groups desperately trying to reach Gaza’s populace. Her remarks corroborate concerns voiced by some US lawmakers over protecting strategic interests above truthful policy appraisals.
As pressure mounts on the Biden administration’s Israel stance, it faces uncomfortable questions on ensuring transparency. While diplomatic equations cannot be discounted, independence and impartiality of information frameworks bear even greater significance in such debates impacting regional stability and innocent lives.
