Twelve former Biden aides demand 2028 Democrats ban Gaza policy architects

Twelve former officials from the Biden administration signed a joint statement on Wednesday urging prospective Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential race to publicly reject the architects of the previous government's Gaza policy. The group, which calls itself the 'Gaza Resignees,' contends that accountability requires keeping specific individuals out of future administrations.

The signatories resigned from their posts between late 2023 and 2024. They stated they could no longer serve a government providing what they described as illegal and unconditional support for Israel's actions in Gaza. The statement argues that these officials should not return to the highest levels of the government after causing significant harm.

The authors accuse certain remaining officials of whitewashing their roles in enabling genocide. They claim these individuals stayed silent when they could have defended US law and instead pursued ends that violated American and international law. The statement notes that many of these figures are now seeking new positions in policymaking.

The group asks Democratic candidates to commit to three specific pledges. First, candidates must uphold the Constitution and pursue the national interest of the United States. Second, they must acknowledge US complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza through arms, funding, and diplomatic backing. Third, they must build an administration that reflects US interests and leaves no space for anyone who was an architect, leader, defender, or key enabler of policies of unconditional support for Israel.

Several rights groups, experts, scholars, and United Nations inquiries have concluded that Israel's war on Gaza amounts to genocide. According to Palestinian health authorities, the conflict has killed at least 74,564 Palestinians and wounded at least 175,770 since October 2023.

The Biden administration, which governed from 2021 to 2024, faced criticism from progressive lawmakers and activist groups from the start of the war. US Representative Rashida Tlaib and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have both opposed continued US support for Israel. That support has persisted since President Donald Trump was re-elected last year.