CIA logo at IAEA headquarters in Langley, Virginia (French)
A senior CIA official posted on her Facebook page a photo expressing her support for Palestine two weeks after the attack launched by Hamas and the Palestinian resistance on October 7.
The British newspaper said in a report published on Tuesday evening that the move is a rare expression of a political stance by a senior intelligence official towards the war, which has raised objections in the administration of President Joe Biden.
The official, who serves as deputy assistant director for analysis at the CIA, changed the background of her Facebook page on Oct. 21 to a photo of a man waving a Palestinian flag, a photo that is frequently used in material critical of Israel.
Also on her page, she posted a selfie with the words "Freedom for Palestine" on it. But a source familiar with the matter said the photo was posted on Facebook years ago.
The newspaper said it declined to name the official after the CIA expressed concerns about her safety.
The report quoted officials familiar with the matter as saying that the US official had previously overseen the preparation of daily intelligence analysis provided to President Biden, and noted that the photo she released raised concerns within his administration.
The Financial Times quoted a CIA statement as saying that the agency's officers were "committed to analytical objectivity and may have personal views."
The official's actions come amid heightened tension within the US administration over President Biden's handling of the war on Gaza and whether he should put pressure on Israel until the fighting stops.
Source: Financial Times