US State Department Arabic spokesperson resigns in opposition to Gaza policy

The Arabic language spokesperson of the US State Department has resigned, citing her opposition to Washington's policy related to the war in Gaza, in at least the third resignation from the department over the issue.

Hala Rharrit was also the Dubai Regional Media Hub's deputy director and joined the State Department almost two decades ago as a political and human rights officer, the department's website showed.

"I resigned April 2024 after 18 years of distinguished service in opposition to the United States' Gaza policy," she wrote on social media website LinkedIn. A State Department spokesperson, asked about the resignation at Thursday's press briefing, said the department has channels for its workforce to share views when it disagrees with government policies.

More than 1,000 officials at USAID signed open letter in November

Nearly a month earlier, Annelle Sheline of the State Department's human rights bureau announced her resignation, and State Department official Josh Paul resigned in October.

A senior official in the US Education Department, Tariq Habash, who is Palestinian-American, had stepped down in January.

In November, more than 1,000 officials in the US Agency for International Development (USAID), part of the State Department, signed an open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire. Cables criticizing the administration's policy have also been filed with the State Department's internal "dissent channel."