In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with former Biden administration officials Tariq Habash and Josh Paul; co-founders of A New Policy, for one of the most candid conversations yet about Washington, political power, and the growing movement demanding accountability in U.S. foreign policy. The conversation goes far beyond headlines. From student protests and free speech crackdowns to arms transfers, ICE training programs, campaign financing, and the future of American politics, this episode explores how the issue of Palestine intersects with nearly every major political debate in America today. Together, they discuss the creation of A New Policy, their strategy for building political power, and why they believe the next decade could completely transform the conversation around Palestine in the United States.

Josh Paul. Co-Founder: Josh Paul resigned from the State Department in October 2023 due to his disagreement with the Biden Administration’s decision to rush lethal military assistance to Israel in the context of its war on Gaza. He previously spent over 11 years as a Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which is responsible for U.S. defense diplomacy, security assistance, and arms transfers. He previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, holding additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Staff, and as a Military Legislative Assistant for a Member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Josh grew up between London and New York, and holds Masters degrees from the Universities of Georgetown and St Andrews, Scotland. He is a recipient of the 2023 Callaway Award for Civic Courage and the 2024 MedGlobal Award for Courage.

Tariq Habash, Co-Founder: Tariq Habash resigned from the U.S. Department of Education in January, 2024 due to the Biden Administration’s policy on Gaza and its unrestricted support for Israel’s aggression against Palestinians. Tariq served for three years as a political appointee and policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, where he led the policy office’s student loan portfolio, regulatory policy planning, and budget development process across higher education issues. He was the first political appointee to publicly resign from the Biden Administration. Before entering government, he spent years working on federal policy regarding education finance and racial equity, and co-founded Protect Borrowers. Tariq is a Palestinian-American, and grew up in Middletown, Ohio. He holds degrees from the University of Miami and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

In this conversation, we explore:
→ Why Tariq Habash and Josh Paul resigned from the Biden administration
→ How U.S. foreign policy is shaped behind closed doors
→ The role of lobbying, campaign money, and AIPAC in Washington politics
→ How Gaza, student protests, and campus crackdowns changed the national conversation
→ Why Palestine has become central to debates around education, policing, and civil rights
→ How A New Policy is working to change U.S. policy from within the system
→ How elections, grassroots pressure, and younger voters are reshaping Congress and the Democratic Party

Director: Dr. Ed Hasan | 2026