In a significant blow to the Biden administration, Annelle Sheline, a Middle East analyst at the US Department of State, has resigned from her position in protest against President Joe Biden's Israel policy. Sheline, who advocated for human rights on behalf of the US government, announced her resignation in an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday.

Sheline's decision to step down comes at a time when the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 32,490 since October 7, and the World Food Programme has issued a warning about an imminent famine in the enclave. Expressing her frustration, Sheline told the newspaper, "Trying to advocate for human rights just became impossible. I wasn't able to really do my job anymore."

This isn't the first instance of a State Department official resigning in disagreement with the administration's approach towards Israel. Last year, Josh Paul, a director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, stepped down, followed by Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American and Biden political appointee at the Department of Education, who resigned in January.

Tariq Habash emphasized that Sheline's departure highlights the diminishing standing of the United States both domestically and internationally amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He stated, "Our influence at the international stage seems to be disintegrating by the day. It's not surprising that people who aimed to work on human rights issues felt unable to fulfill their responsibilities."

Sheline joined the State Department through a fellowship with the Bureau of Democracy, Labor, and Human Rights. Her role involved promoting human rights and compiling annual reports on the matter. She previously worked as a researcher at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

During her tenure, Sheline collaborated with activist and civil society groups across the Middle East and North Africa region. She witnessed firsthand how US credibility eroded among these groups as the conflict in Gaza escalated, with many primarily focused on the situation in Gaza rather than their own struggles with repression and imprisonment.

The departure of Sheline coincides with the Biden administration's continued pledge of support to Israel, even as they express concerns about an expected ground operation in Rafah, a city in the southern part of Gaza. While Vice President Kamala Harris warned of "consequences" if Israel launches the assault, the US has refrained from leveraging aid to influence the situation.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that there had been "written assurances" from Israel that US weapons were not being used to violate international human rights laws. However, rights groups have repeatedly made allegations of such violations, and Miller said their assessment had found no evidence of such violations yet.

Sheline's resignation has shed light on the internal dissent within the Biden administration, with letters of protest from staffers at USAID and the Department of Homeland Security, federal worker protest actions, and growing calls from Democratic legislators for a ceasefire or conditional aid to Israel.

Former State Department official Josh Paul expressed his pride in Sheline's decision, noting that she is now the third US official to publicly resign over what he called the "absolute disaster" of the Biden administration's support for what he perceives as Israel's war crimes.

Feds United for Peace, a group of anonymous federal employees from various government agencies opposed to the war, commended Sheline’s courage. They noted that her departure reflects the outrage and demoralization experienced by millions of Americans and thousands of federal government workers.

Sheline admitted her hesitation in going public with her decision, fearing her perceived lack of seniority would diminish her impact. She acknowledged the personal and professional sacrifices her resignation entails, stating, "I know I'm foreclosing any sort of future at the State Department, or maybe even in the US government."

As the Biden administration faces growing internal dissent, Sheline's resignation stands as a stark indication of the ongoing debate and disagreement over US policy towards Israel and the impact it has on human rights advocacy at the State Department.