A Jewish-American political appointee in the Biden administration, Lily Greenberg Call, has resigned in opposition to President Biden’s policies regarding Israel. In a public letter to Department of the Interior Sec. Deb Haaland, Call expressed that she could no longer represent the administration due to what she views as Biden’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. She stated that she joined the administration to fight for a better America but cannot continue amidst what she describes as “genocide” in Gaza.
Call criticized President Biden for making Jews “less safe” by painting them as the face of the American war machine. She believes that any system that requires the subjugation of one group over another is unjust and unsafe, and that Jewish safety should not come at the expense of Palestinian freedom. Call, who has spent her life in the Jewish community, pointed out that her family escaped antisemitic persecution in Europe to find refuge in America, and she questions the point of having power if it is not used to stop crimes against humanity.
She called out President Biden for not holding Israel accountable and emphasized his power to call for a lasting ceasefire, stop sending weapons to Israel, and condition aid. According to Call, the United States has done little to hold Israel accountable and has actually enabled and legitimized their actions. She accuses President Biden of having innocent blood on his hands due to his lack of action. Call’s resignation marks the fifth official to resign in protest since the Oct. 7 attack, highlighting the growing dissent within the administration over its handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Israel has become a politically contentious issue within the Democratic Party, with an increasing number of lawmakers expressing concerns over Israel’s invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas’ terror attack on Oct. 7. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Call’s resignation or the broader issue of US policy towards Israel. The ongoing conflict in the region has led to calls for greater accountability and action from the Biden administration, particularly from those who believe that the US should be doing more to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
