In July, outgoing United States President Joe Biden claimed he had “done more for the Palestinian community than anybody”. Maryam Hassanein, a political appointee who resigned from his administration, strongly disagrees.
“I think his legacy is the opposite,” Hassanein, a former member of the Interior Department, said. “He’s the president who’s done the most harm to Palestinians.”
On January 20, Biden is slated to leave office, joining a short list of presidents who served only a single term in the White House.
But as his tenure sunsets, some former members of his government say his approach to Israel’s war on Gaza may prove to be a lasting stain on his legacy.
The war in Gaza has provoked widespread humanitarian concerns, ranging from famine to ethnic cleansing. A United Nations special committee even warned Israel’s tactics in the Palestinian enclave were “consistent with genocide”.
Close to 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 100,000 wounded. As many as 1.9 million have been displaced from their homes.
But since the war was launched in October 2023, the US has been unwavering in its support for Israel’s campaign.
The Biden administration provided at least $17.9bn in military aid to Israel in the first year of the war — a record sum for the Middle East country. Additionally, earlier this year, the US deployed about 100 troops to assist in operating an advanced missile defence system it sent to Israel.
Hassanein was one of about a dozen Biden officials who resigned as a result of these policies. She blames Biden for helping to create a culture of acceptance towards anti-Palestinian violence.
“His policies caused immense harm to Palestinians, not just in Palestine but also here in the US, where hate crimes against Palestinians have surged,” Hassanein said.
In Biden’s final days, Al Jazeera spoke with former government contractors and staffers like Hassanein who reflected on the president’s controversial legacy and why they had to quit their posts.