How much influence does the US have over Israel? Isn't it the primary supporter of Israel in terms of weapons and financial aid? Hasn't the US exercised its veto power to prevent a ceasefire in Gaza? Can't the US exert pressure on Israel to permit humanitarian aid into Gaza? The US played a major role in ensuring that Israel did not retaliate when Iraq launched approximately 42 Scud missiles at Israel.
In his recent State of the Union address on Thursday night, President Joe Biden unveiled an urgent military initiative—an "emergency" mission aimed at establishing a port along Gaza's coast in the Mediterranean Sea.
"I’m directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters," Biden said in his address to Congress.
Based on Biden’s speech, the primary objective of this mission is to facilitate the efficient delivery of humanitarian aid to the region, addressing pressing needs and enhancing the capacity for humanitarian support in Gaza. Aid through ground routes would be easier and save vital time and would be far more effective and efficient than this initiative. Thousands of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are stalled at the Rafah crossing, with Israel not permitting them to enter Gaza.
No explanation could interpret this initiative as primarily intended to mitigate the disastrous consequences of the Israeli war in Gaza. Sigrid Kaag, the senior U.N. humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, said regarding getting vital food and medicine into Gaza: “…I cannot but repeat, air and sea is not a substitute for land.”
This US initiative is extraordinary in US foreign policy. Therefore, what is behind it? There is a missing key feature of this; by reading between the lines there are many possible interpretations.
One of the most important interpretations is that a ceasefire will not be reached soon. The Pentagon announced on Friday that the realisation of this endeavour, the construction of this new "port’," could span up to 60 days and entail the deployment of over 1,000 American troops.
Furthermore, Israel will keep controlling Gaza as Israel will be responsible to distribute such aid. The US will not cooperate with Hamas, the government of Gaza, to facilitate the distribution of the aid as Hamas was designated by the US in 1997 as a terrorist organisation. However, Hamas is a liberation movement fighting a battle to protect its lands and people. The UN Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, disagreeing with the US assessment, stated that Hamas is not a terrorist organisation.
The real reason behind the makeshift pier
Since the beginning of the Israeli war in Gaza, there has been a plan for the forcible expulsion of the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza to the Sinai Desert. This plan explains the reasons behind Egypt's construction of new walls between Gaza and Egypt. This initiative might serve to replace the earlier plan.
"No US boots will be on the ground," Biden said. "This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day. But Israel must also do its part."
This is Bidens "sly" initiative. None of the international organisations nor the international communities appealed for a pier. Why has Israel agreed and approved of Biden’s plan? Israel can allow aid to flow from seven crossings currently, but refuses to do so.
These seven crossings are as follows: The Rafah crossing, the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing, the al-Muntar (Karni) crossing, the al-Awdah (Sufa) crossing, the al-Shujaiah (Nahal Ouz) crossing, the al-Karara (Kissufim) crossing. All of these are controlled by Israel, including the Rafah crossing which is under Egyptian administration. Had the Rafah crossing not been subject to Israeli rules and regulations, the aid would have flowed to Gaza from the first day it was made available.
This is undoubtedly a part of the Israeli occupation government's plan to solidify the occupation, further the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and expel the Palestinian people from Gaza. Furthermore, this pier will encourage voluntary migration of Palestinians to Europe and eliminate any possibility of crossing via Rafah, as well as eliminating any role for Hamas.
The US carried out air dropping food into Gaza, which led to a killing of five Gazans as a result of the parachute failure. The airdrops are more like mere gestures – humanitarian theatre, perhaps - rather than a comprehensive effort to address the humanitarian crisis that the US helped create.
A new port is not a permanent solution to a struggle that has been going on for 76 years. The main problem is not delivering aid to Gaza but rather the humanitarian need for an immediate ceasefire and ending the suffering of the Palestinian people due to the Israeli occupation.
Food, water and medical aid has been needed for the civilians in Gaza for months. Families in Gaza, including my family, are starving to death due to the lack of food. Biden comes up with a plan that is further explained by his need for the Arab and the American pro-Palestinian vote for his upcoming re-election contest against Donald Trump. Biden seeks to calm anger within his Democratic Party over his strong support for Israel.
Moreover, this can be seen as an initiative aimed at addressing the numerous warnings issued by United Nations organisations regarding the looming threat of famine among Gaza's residents.
The US initiative appears to be an attempt to emphasise distinctions between the US and Israel, whereas they are in the same boat. One of the US officials said to Reuters: "We're not waiting for the Israelis" to let in more aid. The official added: "This is a moment for American leadership."
Israeli war criminals are employing starvation as a tactic of warfare to weaken the resolve of the Gazans and exert pressure on the resistance factions. Biden’s new initiative to build a temporary port is not welcomed as it does not constitute a radical solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The resolution rests in applying significant pressure on the occupying state to allow the necessary extent of aid to be delivered by land.
File photo: A temporary floating pier built by US armed forces in South Korea as part of an exercise in 2015 (Photo: Maricris McLane US Army)