Islam Times - Gaza Sea Waves Vs. US-built Floating Pier

Islam Times - At least four American ships that were planned to tow the US-constructed floating aid pier to the Gaza coasts reportedly sustained serious damage. Israel's Channel 12 reported that strong sea waves forced part of the pier onto the shores of Ashdod port city. At the same time, footages emerged to show attempts by American forces and Israeli navy to connect the separated part to an American boat to tow it back to Gaza coast.

On May 16, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of the construction of a floating pier for the coast of Gaza. From the very beginning, many criticized the construction of this structure. After the announcement of the breaking of this pier, there were many reactions to it, including that from Abel al-Bari Atwan, an analyst of the Arab world, who pointed to the damage of the pier as a result of the storm, saying: "The waters of Gaza are with the Palestinian nation and showed their anger and solidarity with this nation and hit their fierce waves into the floating pier.

$320 million in pier construction cost

The RT news network, citing American sources, reported that the pier cost the US $320 million. But there is a question: Is this sea structure of avail to the war-stricken Gaza and its displaced civilians?

The serious damage to the pier, which is confirmed by Arab and Israeli sources, shows that this structure at least in practice has not been effective so far.

Nonviability of the pier

According to a report published by Mohammad Shahadah, an Arab media activist and an expert at the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Gaza needs over 500 trucks of aid daily, but the supposed aid the American pier is going to make avaliable is less than 20 trucks daily, which is very limited and by no means can even meet the average needs of Gaza people. Craig Moukheiber, former Director of the New York Office of the UN’s High Commissioner of Human Rights, questioned the US plans to send aids to Gaza via its pier. Moukheiber, who resigned from the UN last year, in an X message called the pier a "fig leaf to cover US complicity in genocide & in the destruction of UNRWA." He added: "The pier "has had no meaningful effect on aid to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza" and "Israel continues to block aid at all crossings."

Whitewashing Biden for elections

There is serious criticism against for Biden's decision to construct this floating pier, and some experts question this initiative of the US president.

Electoral measure: Many have called Biden's floating pier as an electoral move on his part to ease the pressure on and criticism against the White House by rights groups. In fact, there has been a lot of criticism of Biden and the Democrats for supporting Netanyahu in the Gaza war, and many have labeled Biden as an accomplice in war crimes in Gaza. Therefore, it seems that the US president tries to put up a humanitarian face by constructing a pier, while according to critics, he could have asked to stop the war and lift the blockade of Gaza instead of building a pier.

Whitewashing Netanyahu: Another part of the pier-related criticism is motivated by the thought that by doing so, the US paints Gaza blockade justified. This is while Gaza siege is illegal and inhumane and even the ICJ in its latest ruling called for its lifting. Calls for Gaza blockade lifting by the protesting American students have also been made over the past two months in the campuses. But, Biden and the White House are turning a deaf ear to these pro-Palestinian protests.