Demeaning airdrops over Gaza are humanitarian aid theater
Demeaning airdrops over Gaza are humanitarian aid theater
Starvation could be ended in Gaza the moment Washington gives Tel Aviv the order.
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I'm sure airdrops have their place, but they aren't a primary means of feeding 2.2 million hungry people, (over 500,000 of which are at the most severe level of starvation according to the UN). Yesterday's drop was reported as 38,000 meals, so enough (assuming every meal makes it to the right place) to feed 7.6% of those 500k most desperate people one single meal and meaningless to the other 92.4% of victims.
If the US negotiations result in several hundred trucks a day being allowed in, about 3x more than the most they've let in since Oct 7th, then I'll believe the airdrops were a good-faith start to aid. Otherwise it's undeniably true that this is just bad theater that a lot of folks aren't going to fall for. I'm not even sure how much it will help politically - those who are going to vote for Biden regardless of aid don't need to be swayed. His critics, on the other hand, aren't going to be convinced when over 90% of Palestinians keep on starving and he gets repeatedly called out for a weak attempt at relief.
Also, even aid does nothing to address the Israeli actions that are creating this crisis in the first place. When talking about American racism, Malcom X said, "If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there's no progress. If you pull it all the way out that's not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven't even pulled the knife out much less heal the wound. They won't even admit the knife is there."
Time for a History Lesson: Because it is ABSOLUTELY Possible to supply millions of people with food aid, via exclusive air drop. No, it's not particular efficient: No one is making that claim. But, as some ground aid is making it's way through - you also don't need to FULLY supply.
So: Onto the History.
The Cold War: US Operation Vittles / UK Opperation Plainfare
The USSR during the cold war was set on taking full control of Berlin. Their decission? Because Berlin was in East Germany - split between West and East - the USSR built a wall, cut the city in two, and attempted a total blockade.
Now, during the height of the Ideological war - the Western Powers, couldn't stand to let Berlin fall and so, an absolute insane opperation was started: The entire goal was to Blockade bust the USSR Blockade so hard that they would give up. Lets be clear: It worked.
During a single year of the blockade, around 2.25 million tonnes of supplies were airdropped using around 1/4 million flights - working out to well over 600 flights a day. These were done using make shift runways, and it was the people of berlin that got insanely efficient at unloading the aid from the aircraft to make way for the next aircraft that needed to land within minutes of the previous landing.
Something like 20 aircraft ended up crashing or having issue - Which is bloody bonkers when you consider the insane schedule of maintenance, getting parts, fuel, and more for those planes, as well as the insane skill needed to keep the entire thing running. And you might ask: Why didn't the USSR just shoot the aircraft down - they were flying blatantly through East Germany, through their airspace right? Well: Do you really want to provoke the West? Especially at this time when every leader of the USSR military fully was aware of how much western - particularly sourced from the US - Material support lead to Victory of the Allies.
Berlins population during this time? About 3.25 million. West Berlin is estimated to have made up about 2 million of the population from what I can find.
So: Could You supply Palestine via Airdrop?
Absolutely. Clearly it is absolutely possible to fully supply - but the kicker? Some supplies are coming in via land. And this is before we consider better modern aircraft.
Even better - this acts basically in the same way as the Berlin Airdrop Operation had: It forces Israel to consider the practicality of blockading supplies to Palestinians. After all: Enforcing a blockade and restricting resources costs you resources. But even more so, this type of operation paints Israel in a VERY bad light, and that is ontop of a situation where investigating Israel for causing a Genocide is on the table. Israel does not have the carte blanche support it once did. And because of the incident more people are looking into the history of the affair and finding what we were told is not the entire truth - and to be clear: That does not absolve Hamas for attacking, but it puts the IDF in a much more damning light.
And then we learn the phrase "From River to the Sea" was coined not by Palestinians but by the Israeli's - though finding good source and history of that is murky at best these days but, if true we have to factor in a reality: If Israel's goal is to exclusively control well - the illegal settlements, provoking and basically allowing occasional attacks, mixed messaging about being Secular but then claiming to be a Jewish state as propaganda makes sense. Accusing anyone of questioning Israels actions as being an antisemitic also makes sense - because well, what any authoritarian group does not like is being questioned on the validity of their actions.
And so: What we get is a tool - the Airdrop of Supplies - that acts as a huge lever to force proper negotiations.
Long, but very solid take. Thanks for writing.
Very good writeup. I agree that it's definitely possible. What I doubt is the necessary level of support or political will to make that scale of operations possible.
The only way I can imagine the necessary support and will would be to decide that the Israeli state is an evil and dangerous aggressor like the USSR was thought to be. I suspect that creating that perception, however accurate it might be, requires more time than the people have.
But I sure like the idea. It is, in a sense, war without guns.
Im sure 38000 people are happy if happened.
Best option hasn't happened yet, but 38k got the second or 3rd best.