THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2024 37 Tuma joined the State Department in 2009 as an intern in the Conflict and Stabilization Office, later becoming a civil servant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs before joining the Foreign Service in 2014. She previously served in Manama and Dakar. Career Foreign Service Officer Emily Green was the cultural affairs officer at OPA from 2021 to 2024. Her team included Gazan local staff, and they worked with Gazan exchange participants, alumni, and civil society partners. She also met Israelis passionate about building peace through her work with the peacebuilding portfolio, which was done in collaboration with her colleagues at Embassy Jerusalem. “The Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel was both shocking and horrifying, marked by brutal violence and the abduction of innocent hostages,” Green says. “In the aftermath, the high civilian casualties in Gaza and the suffering endured by the displaced population have been deeply distressing. Throughout this crisis, I had the privilege of working alongside many brave colleagues trying to do the right thing in an utterly untenable situation.” Green continues: “Dialogue around this very complicated and horrific war has been twisted to harm even more people through a proliferation of anti-Semitism and anti-Arab, antiMuslim hatred, discrimination, and attacks. Our dissent wasn’t about choosing a side but rather recognizing our duty with empathy and compassion.” Regarding the award, Green says: “Dissent is important. It makes our institutions stronger, and I’m honored to work for an Emily Green en route to Bonthe, Sierra Leone, for an embassy-funded civic education program in the lead-up to the 2018 election. I am grateful that the department encourages intellectual debate about policy and process, and that our leadership in Jerusalem embraced that. —CARYL TUMA organization that values opposing views even when it’s complicated. I hope anyone reading this will find the courage to speak up in alignment with your values.” Green previously served in Freetown, Conakry, Tel Aviv, and Washington, D.C. Michael Casey resigned from the Foreign Service in July 2024, while serving as the deputy political counselor at OPA in Jerusalem. He had previously served in Kuala Lumpur, Islamabad, Beijing, and as a watch officer in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in Washington, D.C. Before joining the Foreign Service, Casey was an Army engineer officer, serving in Iraq, Alaska, and North Carolina. The integrity, courage, and clear-eyed commitment of this group to speaking up demonstrates the importance of constructive dissent, particularly in a crisis situation, and makes them outstanding recipients for this prestigious award.
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