Biden authorized humanitarian aid pier in Gaza despite warnings: Report

Karah Rucker

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ORDERED A TEMPORARY PIER BE CONSTRUCTED TO BRING HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA EARLIER THIS YEAR – EVEN THOUGH EXPERTS SAID IT WASN’T A GOOD IDEA, ACCORDING TO A GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG. 

A NEW REPORT FROM THE U-S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHOWS ITS STAFFERS WARNED THE PRESIDENT THE PIER WOULD FACE WEATHER CHALLENGES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA – AND SECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE ACTIVE WAR ZONE. 

U-S AID OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THEY VOICED CONCERNS FOCUSING ON THE PIER WOULD DISTRACT FROM THE LARGER EFFORT TO REOPEN LAND CROSSINGS INTO GAZA – WHICH WERE SEEN AS A MORE EFFICIENT AND WELL-ESTABLISHED WAY OF MOVING LARGE QUANTITIES OF HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES. 

THE 230 MILLION DOLLAR PIER DID END UP BEING PLAGUED BY BAD WEATHER AND RECURRING SECURITY PROBLEMS – AND WAS ONLY OPERATIONAL FOR 20 DAYS OVER A TWO-MONTH SPAN. 

IT WAS MEANT TO DELIVER ENOUGH FOOD FOR 500-THOUSAND PALESTINIANS EACH MONTH FOR THREE MONTHS. 

INSTEAD – IT ONLY DELIVERED ENOUGH AID FOR 450-THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR A SINGLE MONTH. 

AND EVEN WHEN THE PIER WAS OPERATING… CROWDED ROADS AND LAND ROUTES THAT CONSTANTLY CHANGED MADE IT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY. 

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT –  THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME AND U-S AID STAFF CITED “MULTIPLE INSTANCES” OF AID CONVOYS BEING LOOTED…  ATTACKS ON -W-FP WAREHOUSES… AND DRIVERS BEING DETAINED OR SHOT. 

THE W-F-P WAS IN CHARGE OF DISTRIBUTING AID ONCE IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE BEACH IN GAZA. 

PLANNED DISTRIBUTION ROUTES COULD ALSO BECOME EVACUATION ZONES “WITHIN A MATTER OF HOURS” BASED ON ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATIONS, THE REPORT SAID – FORCING OFFICIALS TO CHANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANS. 

IN RESPONSE TO THE NEW U-SAID REPORT… A PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON SAID THE PIER QUOTE “ACHIEVED ITS GOAL OF PROVIDING AN ADDITIVE MEANS OF DELIVERING HIGH VOLUMES OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.”