SAEDNEWS: A US State Department official, Shahid Qureshi, was fired after drafting a statement opposing forced Palestinian relocation in Gaza, following internal disputes and pressure from the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.
According to Saed News and Tasnim, a US-Iranian official at the US State Department was dismissed for drafting a statement regarding the war on Gaza.
Shahid Qureshi, the department’s press officer responsible for Israel and Palestinian affairs, was fired after raising multiple internal objections regarding the Trump administration’s policy toward Gaza.
Washington Post reported that Qureshi was dismissed only a few days after preparing a draft statement indicating that the United States does not support the forced relocation of Palestinians in Gaza.
Qureshi told the Washington Post that the language he used in the draft aligned with statements made by President Donald Trump and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in recent months, but the State Department rejected the policy he recommended, according to a memo obtained by the newspaper last week.
One individual who frequently clashed with Qureshi within the State Department was David Milstein, senior adviser to US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. According to Washington Post sources, Milstein is known for opposing staff across the department who challenge pro-Israel policies.
A State Department official told the newspaper: “Milstein is an advisor to an ambassador. That’s it, but he has a hand in everything.”
Associated Press also reported that Qureshi was removed following a complaint from the US Embassy in Tel Aviv. He was responsible for drafting speeches regarding the Trump administration’s policy on Israel and Gaza.
