Lazar Berman
Times of Israel, July 5, 2024
“There’s an interest in the security of Israel. But the US has defined that differently than the Israeli government.”
During his State of the Union address in March, US President Joe Biden announced an ambitious American initiative to get more aid into the Gaza Strip – a $230 million floating pier off the coast of the war-torn territory.
With more than 32 million Americans watching, Biden explained that the Joint Logistics Over The Shore pier “would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”
It didn’t.
Barely a week into the operation, four US Army boats broke free from their moorings and floated off. One washed up on an Ashdod beach. To make matters worse, the ship sent to extract the stuck vessel also found itself beached as bemused beachgoers looked on.
Three days later, the Pentagon announced that the causeway had broken off in heavy seas, and the whole pier would have to be floated to Ashdod for repairs. It took until June 7 to reopen the pier, but 10 days later, it was again floated to Ashdod because of sea conditions. The JLOTS pier was returned to Gaza, but was again removed on June 29.
The whole project could be shut down this month, well ahead of schedule.
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