Liberation in Action: Josh Paul
It's unlikely that any man would stick his neck out so far as to advocate for an Israeli-Palestinian policy sea change at this tragic moment in time. But Josh Paul’s heart was heavy. Like most of us, he was horrified by the insidious evil perpetrated by Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians, but unlike all of us, the focus of his job for the last 11 years at the State Department has been the transfer of American arms to other countries.
Now, with Israel declaring war on Hamas, the armament ask was huge. In Paul’s view, it was also rushed, ruthless, and so dangerous it would impose an immediate foreclosure of any future peace for the region. So Paul stepped down and resigned from the State Department asserting, “There are options for Israel that do not involve killing thousands of civilians.” Paul’s line of reasoning was rooted in his expertise. Not only did he write his master’s thesis on Israeli counterterrorism and civil rights, he also lived in the West Bank and witnessed the harsh conditions of the Palestinian people.
Breaking away from popular political sentiments that run deep is very risky business, but Paul followed his heart toward peace despite the dangers he now faces. For this reason, he is our liberator this week.
Read the enlightening interview with Josh Paul and learn about his ideas for a more secure and peaceful future in the Middle East in Politico.
Slipstream
Considering there are many thousands of ordinary, innocent people in Gaza just trying to get by and live their life, heeding the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy which Mr. Paul describes in the interview seems like the most logical and human-centered approach rather than the “scorched-earth” approach that’s being talked about in the news.
Evangel
He made a very difficult choice. But it was the right thing to do. He's not saying "turn the other cheek," he's saying there are other ways to root out Hamas.
When a nation is attacked, what is traditionally acceptable is a "proportional response." What we've seen so far from the Israeli leadership is a tragic, unmitigated outburst of rage and punishment that exceeds the necessary goal of destroying Hamas. Fortunately, we are also seeing diplomacy in action from all parties involved.
Slipstream
He walked his talk that's for sure...
Well Street
Such courage and conviction it takes to not go along with what's always been done, to speak up against popular sentiment, and ultimately leave one's job in protest.
Mr. Paul's actions are admirable. Unfortunately, he makes it clear that business done as usual will perpetuate the region's unrest and violence.