Military

Army Officer Resigns Over US 'Unqualified Support' for Israel

MAY 14 2024·Updated MAY 15 2024

Story

Image credit: Mohammed Hamoud/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Major Harrison Mann, a US Army officer who gave notice of his resignation last November, confirmed Monday that his decision was due to what he called America's "unqualified support for the government of Israel.”
FOX News
He said in an open letter posted on LinkedIn — and shared with his colleagues last month — that he felt guilty and ashamed for his role in advancing a policy that has allegedly contributed to mass killings in Gaza.
Al Jazeera
Citing his European Jewish ancestry, Mann said that supporting Israel would go against his moral commitment to oppose ethnic cleansing. He further added that, if he had been afraid to voice his concerns, his colleagues might be too.
Middle East Eye
Assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the foreign area officer specializing in the Middle East had his resignation approved on Jan. 8. The request will go into effect on June 3.
nytimes
Though some Biden administration officials have quit over US support for Israel, Mann is the first US military officer to openly do so. Earlier this year, airman Aaron Bushnell died after self-immolation in protest in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.
The Wall Street Journal
On Friday, the Biden administration told Congress that while it was "reasonable to assess" that Israel violated international law using US weapons in its military campaign in Gaza, there was not sufficient information to prove it.
wapo

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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The Spin

Narrative A

People across the US — and the entire world — are standing up against the genocide in Gaza, and Maj. Mann has set an example for military officials who are consumed with guilt. For months, Israel has been killing thousands of Palestinian civilians and committing war crimes with funding and support from the US. University students, government officials, and now military officers are showing that the American people are against Israeli atrocities.

AntiWar

Narrative B

Despite the vocal — and often illegal — demonstrations by anti-Israel students and mainstream media narratives, most Americans support Israel. While nobody wants to minimize the tragedy of casualties, collateral is a necessary part of war. Hamas started this conflict on Oct. 7 when it brutally attacked Israeli civilians, and Israel is simply exercising its right to self-defense.