As US President Joe Biden faces growing pressure from voters to end the ceasefire in Gaza, he is also facing pressure from his own employees and federal government officials in a clear criticism of his pro-Israel policies, which could further widen public opinion in the United States against the Israeli war in Gaza.
Federal employees from more than 22 US federal agencies announced a strike on Tuesday in protest of President Biden’s administration’s policies in the war on the Gaza Strip, while House Speaker Mike Johnson warned of the consequences of the strike, calling for the dismissal and expulsion of anyone involved in this government strike.
A group calling itself the “Federal Union for Peace” had called for a “day of mourning” to mark the 100th day of the Israeli war on Gaza, and the group said it represents at least 22 different federal agencies, including employees from the White House, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and the Immigration Agency, in addition to some employees of the Food and Drug Administration, the National Park Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the Monitor website, one of the organizers of the strike said that the reason behind this initiative is to make every effort to influence Biden’s administration’s policies on the war in Gaza, and to criticize the United States’ continued bias towards Israel despite the atrocities and human tragedies suffered by civilians after the killing of more than 23,000 people in three months, in addition to the displacement of more than 1.9 million Palestinians from their homes.
One of the organizers of the strike said that instead of resigning, they felt a “moral obligation and national duty” to urge change from within the US administration. They blamed the White House for the political decisions they criticize, including blocking UN ceasefire resolutions and arms sales to Israel that bypassed Congress.
For his part, House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican from Los Angeles) posted a message on the X website saying that “any government employee who leaves their job in protest of US support for our ally Israel is neglecting their responsibilities and abusing the trust of taxpayers. They deserve to be fired.” He added: “I will work with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer to ensure that every federal agency begins appropriate disciplinary proceedings against anyone who leaves their job.”
In response to Johnson’s threats to fire them and take disciplinary action against them, organizers of the strike said they were declaring a day of mourning for the civilian deaths in Gaza, and providing a space for mourning and expressing pain. They pointed out that they have the right to freedom of expression, and that this protest initiative reflects their values and the values of a large segment of the American people.
The US Congress has seen previous initiatives to protest US policies that favor Israel, as 400 federal employees sent an open letter to Congress, without disclosing their identities, saying that they are Jewish and Muslim employees allied against the war on Gaza. In the letter, they called on the heads of congressional committees to demand an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and pointed out that the lives of millions of women, children, and the elderly civilians in Gaza hang on the shoulders of the members of Congress.
