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On Tuesday, Maryam Hassanein resigned from her role as a special assistant at the US Department of the Interior, becoming the latest in a series of officials from Joe Biden's administration to step down in disagreement with US policies towards Palestine. Hassanein, the youngest and first Muslim American appointee in the Biden administration to tender her resignation over the government's stance on Israel's actions in Gaza, rebuked the administration in her official statement of resignation for its complicity and failure to acknowledge the demands for the freedom of Palestinians.
I spoke with Maryam about her decision and the issues surrounding it. Here is our conversation in its entirety:
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Zahoor Raza (ZR): Thank you for your time. Looking back on your experience in the Biden administration, what initially motivated you to join, and how did your views on its policies change over time?
Maryam Hassanein (MH): "With my passion for and background in justice work, I felt I could lend a hand in pursuing justice for marginalised communities. I realised that all of the good work is completely offset by the administration’s funding and enabling of the genocide Israel is executing in Gaza."
"I was inspired by the student movement and the sacrifices the students have made to advocate for Palestine."
ZR: Can you explain the nature of your role as a Special Assistant within the US Department of the Interior, and how would you explain to someone unfamiliar with it what the US Department of the Interior does?
MH: "The Department of the Interior works on a variety of things including protecting and conserving land in the US, management of natural resources, and facilitating co-stewardship with Tribal communities."
ZR: Can you walk me through the thought process behind your decision to resign from your role? What was the final straw that led you to decide to resign?
MH: "Month after month, there has been no material change in the Biden administration’s policy regarding Gaza. The administration has not been doing nearly enough to prioritise the safety and well-being of Palestinians. Further, President Biden has perpetuated dehumanising tropes and falsehoods that have not only hurt Palestinians in Gaza through sheer disregard for their lives but also Palestinians in the US through fuelling violent hate crimes. I was inspired by the student movement and the sacrifices the students have made to advocate for Palestine."
ZR: Some might say that resigning could limit your ability to influence change from within the administration. Did you have any conversations with other officials to express your concerns, and if so, how did they respond?
MH: "There have been multiple efforts from executive branch employees as a whole to engage in discussions with administration leadership to convey concerns, and those conversations have not led to any material change in policy. There have been multiple efforts to use our voice as a collective through open letters, peaceful demonstrations, and more that have not led to any material change in policy."
ZR: I'm interested in hearing your answer to a question that Zeteo's Mehdi Hasan also posed to Annelle Sheline, a former Biden administration official and foreign affairs officer at the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, who resigned over the situation in Gaza. As we scroll through our social media feeds, they are awash with deeply disturbing videos from Gaza. Did people in your office come in the morning and say, "I just saw horrific stuff on my phone," like we all do in our lives?
MH: "I, for the most part, did not witness widespread acknowledgement of the crisis in Gaza. There was mention of it in personal conversations with some colleagues."
ZR: How did your colleagues and the Department of the Interior react to your decision to resign?
MH: "I cannot speak to the thoughts and feelings of my former colleagues, but I can only hope that they understand why I made the decision that I made and that they too recognise the responsibility they each have to advocate for Palestinians and for a better approach to alleviate the crisis in Gaza carried out by Israel."
ZR: President Biden's Republican opponent Donald Trump is also a staunch supporter of Israel and has openly criticised Biden's decision to pause just one shipment of arms to Israel. Given your experience in the Biden administration, will you still be backing Biden in the upcoming elections?
MH: "I am grappling with my decision. It is clear that Democrats who support Palestine do not want to see a Trump presidency. Point blank, we deserve a candidate that is committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of Palestinians."