Miller’s resignation, which has not been beforehand reported, comes amid rising frustration inside and out of doors authorities over the warfare’s steep civilian demise toll and concerns amongst some that affect over coverage issues has been dominated by a slender coterie of President Biden’s closest advisers. Miller is essentially the most senior U.S. official to resign so far whose portfolio focuses on Israeli-Palestinian points.
“His departure shall be a loss for the administration basically and the State Division particularly,” mentioned Suzanne Maloney, vice chairman and director of overseas coverage on the Brookings Establishment. “It’s a telling indicator of the final toll that the battle has taken on those that have been working to cope with its safety implications for america and its allies.”
Individuals who know Miller describe him as a principled supporter of Palestinian rights and statehood, and a nuanced thinker about Center East affairs. Earlier than his job specializing in Israeli-Palestinian points, he was a senior coverage adviser to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and through the Obama administration, he served as director for Egypt and Israel army points on the White Home Nationwide Safety Council.
These conversant in Miller’s choice to depart spoke on the situation of anonymity to be candid a few personnel matter.
“Andrew introduced deep expertise and sharp perspective to the desk day-after-day,” mentioned State Division spokesman Matthew Miller. “Everybody right here is sorry to see him go, however we want him properly in his subsequent endeavors.”
Aaron David Miller, a Center East knowledgeable who has suggested each Democratic and Republican administrations, referred to as Andrew Miller a “good” and “artistic” diplomat however mentioned it had turn out to be troublesome for officers on the division’s Bureau of Close to Japanese Affairs to affect coverage.
“He was caught in a bureau of well-intentioned and succesful Overseas Service officers who’ve had little or no influence on U.S. coverage earlier than and even after October 7,” mentioned Aaron Miller, noting the date when Hamas militants led a cross-border assault into Israel that killed about 1,200 individuals and took about 250 hostages.
Matthew Miller, the State Division spokesman, rejected that characterization of the bureau, noting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has introduced its chief, Barbara Leaf, on all eight of his journeys to the Center East since Oct. 7 and has relied on her extensively as she carries messages from him and the president to leaders all through the area.
Israel’s retaliatory army marketing campaign has killed greater than 37,000 Palestinians, in response to the Gaza Well being Ministry, and divided officers throughout the U.S. authorities concerning the applicable response.
On the outset of the battle, Biden offered his full backing to the Israelis, surging weapons into the battle and offering diplomatic and political cowl at worldwide establishments — whilst Israel has been accused of utilizing indiscriminate bombing techniques and impeding entry to humanitarian help. Regardless of that help, Netanyahu has repeatedly ignored U.S. calls for to take a extra surgical method in Gaza and chorus from exacerbating tensions with the Palestinians, similar to withholding their tax income and utilizing incendiary rhetoric.
Although Gaza coverage has been deeply divisive within the U.S. authorities, it has prompted solely a handful of resignations on the State Division, Pentagon and different federal businesses. Officers at State have not too long ago been subjected to e mail campaigns encouraging protest resignations associated to the battle.
One U.S. official who is aware of Andrew Miller mentioned he was “forward of the curve from the start” in recognizing the dangers of what has turn out to be generally known as the administration’s “bear hug” technique, referring to Biden’s bodily embrace of Netanyahu throughout a go to to Tel Aviv within the days after Hamas’s assault. Miller is alleged to have believed that the leverage america has over Israel as its largest army, financial and political backer might have been used extra successfully.
“He’s definitely on the extra progressive facet of administration officers in the case of the area, together with on Israel-Palestine, however he has additionally by no means been a ‘burn all of it down and forgo pragmatism’ sort,” mentioned the official. “He has all the time advocated that america ought to help Palestinian rights and statehood, however his advocacy whereas in authorities has usually been quiet and measured.”
Andrew Miller’s departure stunned many within the division, and a number of other U.S. officers mentioned he was revered on all sides of the contentious Israeli-Palestinian dispute. “Throughout his time on the State Division, he was an unmatched supporter of Israel’s safety and deeply connected to the struggle in opposition to antisemitism,” mentioned a senior State Division official who labored with him extensively through the years.
