Ex-Biden officials urge 2028 Democrats to reject Gaza policy

A group of former U.S. officials who resigned over the Biden administration's support for Israel's war on Gaza urged Democratic presidential hopefuls Wednesday to condemn Washington's role in the conflict and exclude officials responsible for the policy from future administrations.

Twelve former officials who stepped down between late 2023 and mid-2024 over former President Joe Biden's handling of the Gaza war issued a joint statement calling on candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 to distance themselves from his administration's policies.

"We call on candidates for the 2028 Presidential Nomination to commit to not hire any administration official directly responsible for enabling Israel's military actions in Gaza," the group said.

The former officials also demanded that prospective candidates acknowledge what they described as Washington's complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza.

A video accompanying the statement featured images of senior Biden administration figures, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, highlighting officials associated with U.S. policy toward Israel during the conflict.

The appeal comes as divisions over U.S. support for Israel continue to shape debate within the Democratic Party ahead of the 2028 presidential race.

Biden's administration faced sustained criticism from progressive lawmakers, activists and human rights advocates over its continued military assistance and diplomatic backing for Israel despite mounting Palestinian civilian casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza.

Prominent progressive Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have opposed Washington's support for Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

Their criticism has also focused on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's close political ties with Republicans, amid growing divisions within the Democratic Party over relations with Israel.

Several international human rights organizations, legal experts and United Nations investigations have concluded that Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide.

Blinken and Sullivan previously voiced concerns over civilian deaths in Gaza, although the Biden administration continued providing military and diplomatic support to Israel throughout the conflict.

The former officials' intervention adds to pressure on prospective Democratic presidential candidates to clarify their positions on U.S. military assistance to Israel and the role of senior Biden-era policymakers in any future administration.