RANT: CLOWN SHOW REDUX

 

OOPSIE!

THERE are times when dumb-ass ideas and practices, events, people of course, political dust-ups, bureaucratic spaghetti, and a host of other thingies leave us dumbfounded and at a loss for words, other than uttering a full-throated “D’oh!”, Homer Simpson’s grunt of futility against the human species that seems far more stupid than it has a right to be.

 

👉Dig: The U.S. built a temporary floating pier and causeway on the shore of Gaza so that ships loaded with relief supplies and food can off-load to trucks that take the food aid to warehouses and distribution centres. The pier became operational on May 17, having transported some 137 truck loads (approximately 900 tonnes) of aid into the enclave to date.  The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) says that 500 to 600 trucks per day are required to adequately feed the Gazan population. The current level of food aid into the enclave is woefully inadequate. “The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global hunger monitor, has warned of an imminent famine in parts of Gaza, home to 2.3 million people.” (Al Jazeera) The only other entry point is through the Kerem Shalom goods crossing on the southern border between Israel and Egypt. The nearby Rafah crossing has been closed due to the Israeli invasion and bombardment of the city that has commenced in recent weeks. 

And, according to OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), on average, only 58 relief trucks per day enter Gaza through the southern border. Five-Hundred trucks of aid and commercial goods per day are thought to be adequate to meet the enclave’s needs, the UN agency calculates. Whatever the exact figures  for aid trucks and tonnage entering Gaza, the basic facts are that people there are facing imminent starvation and famine caused by the Israelis' blockade and relentless bombing. 

👉Here’s a fun fact that should give everyone a giggle:

 

“Since mid-January, 93,409 children aged 6-59 months have been screened for malnutrition, of whom 7,280 have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, including 5,604 with Moderate Acute Malnutrition, and 1,676 with Severe Acute Malnutrition.” (OCHA)

 

BUT, getting back to the floating pier the U.S. built, it seems the “causeway” section broke apart in high seas a couple of days ago. So, the limited amount of aid it started to bring into Gaza has been halted until repairs can be made. Note: that supply routes and distribution centres have been damaged or destroyed throughout the enclave by Israeli bombs and missiles, and the largest relief organization in Gaza, UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Work Agency), with thousands of aid workers and supply networks in place to respond to the humanitarian crisis, has been sidelined by Israel on the flimsy excuse that a handful of its workers may—I stress may—have been involved in the 7 October attack against Israeli kibbutzim and military outposts bordering Gaza that started this genocidal rampage. Point being that even with the pier up and running, distribution to those most in need is slow, chaotic, and often dangerous. Other international relief organizations, like the Red Cross for example, are attempting to fill UNRWA’s shoes, but it’s a tall order.

 

👉SO, good job on the floating dock thingie, USA and Joe Biden! As has been said before: Mr. President, you could shut down this bloody rampage and get food aid into Gaza with a phone call.

👉INSTEAD of making a dumfuk, $300-million USD boondoggle of a pier that breaks apart like a Lego toy, tell Bibi to open the damn gates and get his storm-troopers the fuk out of Gaza or he’s not getting another bullet or buck from you. Easy Peasy. Even Homer gets it.

 

Cheers, Jake.___________________________________

* Recall that Israeli settler groups have disrupted aid trucks entering Gaza, slowing their movements or outright destroying their shipments. Welcome to Greater Israel! [Time to polish up my jackboots. Ed.]