Biden approves construction of floating pier off Gaza coast
Date
8/28/2024 9:04:24 AM
(MENAFN) According to a watchdog report released on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden approved the construction of a floating pier off the Gaza coast, despite warnings from his staff about its potential drawbacks. The pier, known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS), was intended to facilitate aid deliveries to Gaza but faced repeated challenges and ultimately was deemed a failure.
The report by USAID's Office of the Inspector General highlighted concerns from multiple officials within the humanitarian aid agency. These officials warned that the focus on the floating pier could undermine diplomatic efforts to persuade Israel to ease its restrictions on overland aid deliveries. They argued that opening land crossings in Israel and Egypt would be more effective and reliable for delivering aid to Gaza.
President Biden had announced the JLOTS project during his State of the Union address in March, following a period of unsuccessful diplomatic negotiations aimed at convincing Israel to loosen its restrictions on humanitarian assistance through its border crossings with Gaza. After Biden's directive, USAID's focus shifted to making the pier operational.
However, the U.S. military concluded the pier’s mission on July 17, declaring it "complete" after a series of issues that led to the pier being frequently towed to an Israeli port for repairs. The report attributed the failure to "external factors," including security requirements imposed by the Pentagon and the Israeli military, which took precedence over USAID's efforts to deliver aid. Additionally, the operational challenges in a conflict zone, combined with weather, security, and humanitarian access issues, further hampered the effectiveness of the maritime corridor in distributing aid to Gaza.
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