A woman mourns at a funeral for Palestinians killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah on December 12, 2024 [Ramadan Abed/Reuters]f

Washiongton, January 11 (RHC)-- A former U.S. State Department official says Washington has no concern for Palestinian suffering.  In fact, the ex-government official -- Mike Casey --who served as a deputy political counsellor at the United States Office of Palestinian Affairs, described his experience as a diplomat in Jerusalem as "a humiliation."

“It’s frankly embarrassing … to see just the way we give in to the demands of the Israeli government and continue to support what the Israeli government is doing even though we know it’s wrong,” Casey told Al Jazeera.  “And I’ve not seen that in any other country that I’ve served in.”

After four years in his post, Casey resigned in July over what he described as the U.S. government’s unwavering support for Israel despite its devastating military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

His resignation — first reported by The Guardian newspaper this week — is the latest by a U.S. official angered over President Joe Biden’s staunch military and diplomatic backing for Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

To date, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s continued attacks on the coastal enclave.

The conflict has plunged Gaza into a dire humanitarian crisis, and United Nations experts and leading human rights groups have accused the Israeli military of committing war crimes, including genocide.

The U.S. provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military assistance annually, and researchers at Brown University recently estimated that the Biden administration provided an additional $17.9 billion since the start of the genocidal war of aggression against Gaza.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday, Mike Casey said his job in Jerusalem was primarily focused on writing about the situation in Gaza, from humanitarian concerns to economic and political issues.

He said the U.S. government is aware of the dire conditions in the territory, including the widespread casualties and lack of humanitarian assistance.  “And yet we continue to pursue these policies and support what the Israeli military is doing there,” he said.  “They receive all of our reporting, they have everything we write, and they just disregard it.”

Asked why U.S. government policy is what it is, Casey said he believes part of the reason is that “there’s no concern for Palestinian suffering.”  “We ignore Palestinian suffering.  We accept the Israeli government narrative of events even if we know it’s not true, and we really pursue Israel’s interests.  We don’t pursue our own interests,” he told Al Jazeera.  “And that was what pushed me out the door at the end.”
 

[ SOURCE:  PRESS TV, THE GUARDIAN, NEW AGENCIES ]