Director of Congressional and Public Affairs Josh Paul resigned from his position at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on Wednesday, citing the U.S decision to boost lethal arms transfers to Israel as “shortsighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory to the very values we publicly espouse.”  

In his resignation letter, Paul declined to remain a part of an administration he fears is repeating the “same mistakes we have made these past decades.”News of Paul’s resignation from the State Department on a moral basis, after 11 years of employment in U.S. arms transfers to allies and Middle Eastern countries, was picked up by U.S. publications large and small.  

Paul told the New York Times that continuing to give Israel what he called a green light to “kill a generation of enemies, only to create a new one, does not ultimately serve the United States’ interests.”

 In the interview Paul also cited the lack of any debate around the decision to continue sending arms to Israel, as well as no oversight mechanisms and no pushback from Congress - still operating without a House Speaker on Thursday- as further reasons for his decision to resign.

The U.S. State Department did not comment on the resignation, citing its policy on discussing personnel matters.Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued Thursday across the entire territory, including in areas in the south that Israel had declared as “safe zones,” AP reports.  

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is response to the Hamas attack in southern Israel almost two weeks ago that killed more than 1,400 people.  Hamas is still holding at least 203 captives.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 3,785 people have been killed in Gaza since the strikes began, and another 1,300 are believed to be buried beneath the rubble.

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department issued a “worldwide cautionary alert”  for overseas American citizens, citing increased tensions in locations throughout the world with the potential for extremist attacks and violence against Americans.

For more, check out our exclusive content on CGTN Now and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The China Report.