USAid warned Joe Biden against building floating Gaza pier
The top US development agency warned President Joe Biden against building the floating pier for aid in Gaza, warning that it would undermine attempts to persuade Israel to allow land entry.
An inspector general report by USAid released on Tuesday said the agency warned that the $230m military-run project - known as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore System (JLOTS) - would be difficult to implement and that land transport would be "more efficient".
"Multiple USAid staff expressed concerns that the focus on using JLOTS would detract from the agency’s advocacy for opening land crossings, which were seen as more efficient and proven methods of transporting aid into Gaza," said the report.
"However, once the president issued the directive, the agency’s focus was to use JLOTS as effectively as possible."