Washington, DC – Israel's devastating attack on Gaza – and the United States' support for it – will “disturb” outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the rest of his life, says the former diplomat, who quit opposing the war last year.
Hala Rharrit told Al Jazeera in a phone interview that President Joe Biden's administration is flouting US law by continuing to supply Israel with weapons despite the violence in Gaza.
“Willfully – and I don't say this word lightly, willfully – violate and evade US law,” said Rharrit, who resigned from the US State Department in April.
“When I became governor, I swore to protect the Constitution. They are avoiding the road to continue the flow of weapons, knowing how dangerous that is. To me, it is unforgivable, and it is criminal.”
There are several U.S. laws that prohibit the transfer of arms to human rights abusers, including a ban on security aid to countries that block humanitarian aid supported by Washington.
The Leahy Law it also bans US aid to armed groups accused of human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings, torture and rape.
Additionally, the Biden administration has adopted a policy, called National Security Memorandum 20requiring allied organizations that receive US weapons to provide credible assurances that they are not using the weapons in violation of international humanitarian law.
Despite these safeguards, the US continues to supply Israel – a country that rights activists say is killing people in Gaza – with billions of dollars worth of weapons.
Israel has killed at least 46,876 people in Gaza. It has also imposed a complete siege on the region that caused the famine, which is man-made.
Last year, a International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on war crimes, including using “starvation as a means of war”.
Anyway, Blinken has confirmed to Congress that Israel is not withholding humanitarian aid to Gaza – an assessment that aid groups have rejected.
Blinken's State Department has also been accused of failing to act on allegations of torture by Israeli soldiers under the Leahy Law. recent case against the Biden administration, led by Palestinians and Palestinian Americans.
And so, critics say Blinken has been helping to ensure that Israel continues to receive the US weapons it uses to destroy Gaza.
Blinken also oversaw the US delegation to the United Nations, which opposed four Security Council resolutions that would have called for a freeze on Gaza.
The US ambassador – who has a long history of advocating support for Israel – has met with Palestinian rights activists at congressional hearings, on the streets and in front of his home.
This week, several activists interrupted Blinken's speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, calling him a “secretary of genocide”.
And on Thursday, during Blinken's final appearance in the State Department press briefing room, the reporter was he is forcibly removed for repeated questioning about Blinken's complicity in Israeli war crimes.
Rharrit said it was natural to protest “killing and genocide”, predicting that Blinken would continue to face criticism after he resigned on Monday.
“This will haunt him for the rest of his life,” the former diplomat told Al Jazeera.
History will judge him, and it is already doing so today. The question is: In future governments, will there really be accountability for the crimes committed in this administration?”
The war in Gaza appears to be on the verge of ending after a ceasefire deal was reached this week, following reports of intervention by the incoming president. Donald Trump.
For several months, Israeli officials have promised to continue the war, and the Israeli defense minister Itamar Ben-Gvir he has publicly boasted that he is blocking efforts to reach an agreement that would end the conflict and lead to the release of Israeli prisoners from Gaza.
However, Blinken goes on to say that Hamas “played the spoiler” in the deal negotiations.
“I'll tell you straight up, Blinken is lying,” said Rharrit.
The former ambassador worked at the State Department for 18 years and served as a spokesperson for the Arabic language before resigning last year. He is one of several US officials who resigned from the Biden administration for unwavering US support for Israel.
Rharrit said he was grateful he resigned because he felt he was being “silenced” when expressing concerns about US policy.
“I don't think as ambassadors we should enforce or follow policies that are illegal or cruel and that are against US national security,” he told Al Jazeera.
“So there was no way I could stay in these conditions.”