U.S. State Department Dismisses Israeli-Palestinian Press Officer
(MENAFN) The US State Department has terminated its chief press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs following internal conflicts over official messaging on Gaza, according to a report published Wednesday by media.
Shahed Ghoreishi’s dismissal reportedly stemmed from disagreements on how to characterize Trump administration policies, notably a contentious plan to relocate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip—a proposal widely criticized as ethnic cleansing.
Media revealed that Ghoreishi drafted a statement saying: “We do not support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.” However, State Department leadership rejected this wording, instructing staff to “cut the line marked in red and clear,” citing an internal memo.
Ghoreishi told media he was not provided a reason for his firing and insisted the language he suggested aligned with prior statements by Trump-era officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, who declared in February the US would not endorse an “eviction plan” for Gaza.
“Despite a strong reputation and close working relationship with many of my colleagues, I was unable to survive these disputes,” Ghoreishi said.
These tensions followed earlier conflicts regarding whether to express condolences for Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and other reporters killed by Israel in Gaza on August 10, which senior officials also opposed, the report said.
Ghoreishi had proposed a line reading: “We mourn the loss of journalists and express condolences to their families.” The State Department’s leadership dismissed this in an August 10 email, stating: “No response is needed. We can’t be sending out condolences if we are unsure of this individual’s actions.”
Media identified David Milstein, a senior adviser to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, as a key internal critic of Ghoreishi. Sources told the paper that Milstein frequently clashed with colleagues defending Israeli government positions and sought to extend his influence beyond his official capacity.
In response to a news outlet, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: “We do not comment on leaked emails or allegations.”
He added, “The Department has zero tolerance for employees who commit misconduct by leaking or otherwise disclosing confidential deliberative emails or information. Federal employees should never put their personal political ideologies ahead of the duly elected President’s agenda.”
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
