As usual, Biden has wasted another approximately 500 million dollars, that American taxpayers do not have.
The United States has announced that the floating pier designed to boost aid delivery to the Gaza Strip will soon cease operations, less than two months after its installation. The decision follows the US military’s inability to re-anchor the pier this week due to technical and weather-related issues, having been previously removed on June 28 because of bad weather.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj Gen Pat Ryder reported that over 8,000 tons of humanitarian aid had been delivered from the pier during its brief operational period. Despite its ambitious goals, the pier was always intended as a temporary measure, originally slated to remain until August or September, when Mediterranean sea conditions might make maintenance impossible. However, challenging weather impacted operations almost immediately after the pier began functioning on May 17.
Joe Biden’s $230 MILLION Gaza aid pier is set to be permanently dismantled after only operating for ~21 days.
This past May, the floating pier broke free from its moorings & ran aground.
American taxpayers are subsidizing this Deep State incompetence! pic.twitter.com/aLkHPqDuQ2
— Center for Renewing America (@amrenewctr) July 10, 2024
The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) scheme, a flagship project announced by President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address in March, faced numerous hurdles. In late May, stormy weather dislodged four small landing craft, which were subsequently washed ashore. Components of the pier were then removed and transported to the Israeli port of Ashdod for repairs. By mid-June, the entire structure, built by US engineers at a cost of $230 million, was taken to Ashdod again due to weather conditions. It was briefly re-anchored on June 19, only for operations to pause less than a week later for scheduled maintenance.
The scheme also encountered political turbulence. A video of an Israeli helicopter taking off near the pier, following a rescue operation by Israeli commandos on June 8, led to speculation on social media about potential US involvement. The Pentagon issued a strong denial, emphasizing that the pier was solely for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Despite these assurances, the pier was perceived with suspicion by Palestinians due to the US’s role as Israel’s chief military and diplomatic ally. An aid worker based in Gaza commented, “When the pier has worked as intended, it supplied Gaza with much-needed aid. However, its involvement in perceptions of partiality reduced its sustainability.”
The US built a floating pier in Gaza to aid Palestinians but people are sceptical about its purpose.
Here’s what might be behind this $320 million project pic.twitter.com/UCQ8nPukQT
— TRT World (@trtworld) June 29, 2024
President Biden had declared that the pier would enable a significant increase in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, especially vital as Israel’s military campaign had left many Gazans on the brink of starvation. However, the actual impact was limited. By the end of June, US Central Command (Centcom) reported that over 8,831 tons of aid had been delivered, with more than half arriving in the previous week. Yet, this aid represents only a fraction of what is required. Before the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October, around 500 aid trucks entered Gaza daily. The US pier’s two-month operation delivered roughly the equivalent of a single day’s pre-war aid.
Furthermore, delivering aid to the shore was just one part of the challenge. Ensuring its safe distribution to those in need remains perilous. With Israeli troops launching a new ground offensive into Gaza City, the security of aid workers is as precarious as ever. The breakdown of law and order in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s targeting of Hamas-associated individuals, has led to rampant looting. Consequently, aid that has reached shore often remains stuck in Israeli-controlled marshalling yards, as agencies hesitate to collect and distribute it amidst such insecurity.
🔵 The Israel Defence Forces (#IDF) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the United Nations’ (#UN) performance in delivering aid to the #GazaStrip.
Simultaneously, the #UnitedStates is preparing to shut down its #floating_pier due to a series of setbacks. @BaligSladeen… pic.twitter.com/Vi7zJeZaKP
— Schulla (@Schulla007) July 11, 2024
In light of these challenges, the pier and its supporting vessels and equipment have returned to Ashdod, with no re-anchoring date set. Maj Gen Pat Ryder reiterated, “The pier has always been intended as a temporary solution to enable the additional flow of aid into Gaza during a period of dire humanitarian need.” He confirmed that the pier will soon cease operations, with more details on the process and timing forthcoming.
Ultimately, the ambitious project aimed at alleviating Gaza’s humanitarian crisis faced insurmountable technical, environmental, and political obstacles, limiting its effectiveness and longevity.
Major Points
- Early Shutdown of Floating Pier: The US announced the floating pier for aid to Gaza will soon cease operations, less than two months after its installation, due to technical and weather-related issues.
- Temporary Measure: Despite delivering over 8,000 tonnes of aid, the pier was always intended as a temporary solution, initially planned to remain until August or September.
- Operational Challenges: The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) scheme faced numerous issues, including stormy weather and political turbulence, leading to frequent relocations and repairs.
- Political Complications: A video showing an Israeli helicopter near the pier led to unfounded speculation of US involvement in a rescue operation, adding to the scheme’s challenges.
- Limited Impact: Although the pier aimed to increase humanitarian aid, it delivered only a fraction of the needed supplies, highlighting the ongoing difficulties in safely distributing aid in Gaza.
Lap Fu Ip – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
