Washington

Washington is not telling truth about the Gaza pier

Published

10 months ago

June 12, 2024

Washington is not telling truth about the Gaza pier

The Biden administration wants you to believe the U.S. is leading international efforts to get humanitarian relief into Gaza and that supplies are “flowing to Palestinians” via the military’s pier operation there.

On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder announced that to date,1,573 tons of aid had been delivered from the pier to the beach, including 492 tons since it reopened on Saturday after some bad weather knocked it out of commission last month.

But supplies from the pier aren’t flowing to Palestinians, and never really have.

Hardly any food from the pier on the Gaza coast has actually reached starving Gazans since it became operational on May 17. The World Food Program (WFP) said only 15 trucks from the pier reached its warehouse inside Gaza for distribution from May 17-18, and that no aid came from the pier from May 19–21.

In Rafah specifically, no aid will reach Palestinians in need so long as Israel’s military offensive persists. WFP halted all deliveries to Rafah on May 21 due to Israel’s invasion of the city.

In addition, on Sunday, the WFP announced that it “paused” distribution of any more humanitarian aid from the pier due to security concerns after a U.S.-backed Israeli operation killed nearly 300 Palestinians the day before. WFP is the U.N. agency in charge of coordinating deliveries from the pier into Gaza.

The 492 tons of aid the Pentagon just boasted about will sit in warehouses on the beach until further notice. Meanwhile, the UN says that all humanitarian operations in Gaza are on the brink of collapse.

The reality is that the $320 million (revised more recently down to $230 million) “maritime humanitarian corridor” that Biden first announced during his State of the Union address in March is not working, at least not for Palestinians. It does serve the Biden administration’s interests by making it look like the U.S. is “doing something” for the civilian population while supporting an Israeli policy that destroys and starves it. The pier, in essence, provides humanitarian cover for an inhume policy.

Pier one imports

Biden administration officials argue the pier isn’t a failure or public relations stunt but critics disagree.

On May 17, the first day the pier was operational, former USAID official and current president of Refugees International Jeremy Konyndyk said, “The pier is humanitarian theater. Much more about political optics than humanitarian assistance. … [T]he president is tweeting about a humanitarian gimmick while actual humanitarian capacity in Gaza grinds to a halt.”

On May 23, in response to a press question about Konyndyk’s comments, director of USAID’s Levant humanitarian response Dan Dieckhaus said, “You know, I would not call within a couple of days getting enough food and other supplies for tens of thousands of people for a month theater…everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I think we are already making a meaningful contribution to the overall effort.”

But according to U.N. humanitarian aid data of food imports into Gaza from January through May, far more food aid reached Gazans before the U.S. pier opened. On May 7, Israeli forces closed the Rafah crossing as part of its invasion of the city. By the end of the month, 66,181 fewer pallets of food reached Palestinians in May compared to April. The pier, which opened May 17, didn’t come close to compensating for this shortfall: According to the IDF, just 1,806 pallets of food from the pier reached aid agency centers in Gaza before it broke apart in a storm on May 25.

Meanwhile, food and other aid is piling up outside Gaza at the Rafah land crossing.

Not enough food was getting into Gaza before Israel closed the Rafah crossing, either. Through March of this year, monthly food imports into Gaza were virtually identical to what they were in 2022, even though food needs are five times higher now than they were then. The U.N.’s humanitarian response plan for Palestine in 2022 implemented $226 million for food security and nutrition. Requirements for those sectors in 2024 stands at $1.1 billion.

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A new report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Program concluded that 1.1 million Palestinians could face starvation by mid-July primarily because of “the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict” and “the heavy restrictions on access and goods.” The Biden administration enables the first problem by shipping weapons to Israel every 36 hours and tolerates the second by refusing to use the leverage those shipments afford to stop Israel from obstructing aid.

Some deny that that leverage exists, but Biden has already demonstrated that it does. On October 9, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a “complete siege” of Gaza, pledging that, “there will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. Everything will be closed.”

A couple weeks later, Gallant was pressed by Knesset lawmakers on why he agreed to let a trickle of aid in from Egypt. Gallant replied, “the Americans insisted and we are not in a place where we can refuse them. We rely on them for planes and military equipment. What are we supposed to do? Tell them no?”

Israel’s reliance on arms and political protection from the United States puts Biden in an extraordinarily powerful position to influence what Israel does and doesn’t do in Gaza. The current conditions on the ground reflect Biden’s policy choices. Currently, Israel is bombing civilian centers using U.S.-made munitions, while getting aid to Palestinians in need is “almost impossible,” and famine is imminent in Gaza everywhere it isn’t already happening.

Rather than change these conditions with a phone call to Israeli leadership, Biden told the U.S. military to build a pier.

There’s no time for humanitarian theater, according to the FAO/WFP report: “In the absence of a cessation of hostilities and increased access, the impact on mortality and the lives of the Palestinians now, and in future generations, will increase markedly with every day, even if famine is avoided in the near term.”

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Washington

Boonsboro’s Tanner Halling headlines 2024-25 All-Washington County Wrestling

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2025

Press Room

Boonsboro’s Tanner Halling headlines 2024-25 All-Washington County Wrestling

Here are The Herald-Mail’s 2024-25 All-Washington County high school wrestlers.

Wrestler of the Year

Tanner Halling, Boonsboro

Halling, a senior, earned the top honor for the second straight year, capping his undefeated season with the 2A-1A state title at 132 pounds. He earned bonus points in all 49 of his bouts, none lasting the full six minutes. He became a four-time county champ, a four-time region champ, a four-time state placer, a two-time state champ and the county record holder for career wins and winning percentage.

Season record: 49-0

Career record: 179-2

All-Washington County First Team

Logan Ardinger, South Hagerstown

Ardinger, a freshman, won the county title at 106 pounds, placed fourth in the 4A-3A West region and had two wins at states.

Season record: 24-9

Xavier Bowie, Williamsport

Bowie, a sophomore, was the county champ at 285 pounds and placed fourth in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 29-16

Career record: 30-17

Luke Bucheimer, Boonsboro

Bucheimer, a freshman, placed third in the 2A-1A West region at 106 pounds and had two wins at states.

Season record: 36-12

Brodie Burdette, Saint James

Burdette, a junior, placed fifth at 144 pounds at the independent-school state tournament.

Season record: 38-8

Career record: 86-34

Logan Durham, Williamsport

Durham, a sophomore, won more than 75% of his matches and was the county champion at 150 pounds.

Season record: 33-10

Career record: 62-25

JT Griffith, Boonsboro

Griffith, a sophomore, won the county title at 190 pounds and placed fifth in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 33-12

Career record: 52-27

Adin Hastings, Williamsport

Hastings, a senior, earned Wrestler of the Year consideration after winning the 2A-1A title at 215 pounds to become a two-time state champ. He won his fourth county title and third region title and set a school record for career wins.

Season record: 46-3

Career record: 176-10

Michael Holmes, Saint James

Holmes, a junior, won the MAC title at 126 pounds, placed fourth at the independent-school state tourney and went 4-2 at prep nationals.

Season record: 40-6

Career record: 109-25

Ben Kaetzel, Williamsport

Kaetzel, a junior, won the county title at 175 pounds and placed sixth in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 37-10

Career record: 85-34

Cody Mimnall, Boonsboro

Mimnall, a sophomore, won the county title at 120 pounds and placed third in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 30-7

Career record: 58-23

Blake Nalley, Boonsboro

Nalley, a freshman, won the county title at 113 pounds and placed fifth in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 26-10

Derek Owumi, Saint James

Owumi, a senior, won a MAC title at 215 pounds and placed sixth in the independent-school state tourney.

Season record: 37-13

Career record: 77-28

Trevor Sowers, Boonsboro

Sowers, a senior, won the county title at 165 pounds and placed second in the 2A-1A West region.

Season record: 41-6

Career record: 159-25

All-Washington County Second Team

Brady Bruette, So., North Hagerstown
Logan Burcker, Jr., Williamsport
Tanner Christ, Sr., Smithsburg
Kaden Dietrich, Jr., Smithsburg
Marcello Falconio, So., North Hagerstown
Bennett Mayne, Jr., North Hagerstown
Graham McLean, Sr., Boonsboro
Soren Miller, Sr., Williamsport
Paul Ngolle, So., South Hagerstown
Chase Pugh, Jr., Saint James
Aidan Rhea, Jr., Williamsport
Gabe Robinson, Sr., Saint James
Lucas Stephenson, Sr., Williamsport
Alex Vittetoe, Sr., Boonsboro

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Washington

Trendy and young, this Washington neighborhood is a top place to live in US, report finds

Published

14 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Press Room

Trendy and young, this Washington neighborhood is a top place to live in US, report finds

A Seattle neighborhood known for its trendy restaurant scene, good schools, and generally left-leaning residents is one of the best places to live in the United States, according to a new report.

South Lake Union placed sixth in the 2025 Best Places to Live in America rankings compiled by Niche, a reviews website that describes itself as the “market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families.”

It was the only neighborhood in the Pacific Northwest to crack the top 10, besting places like the Indiana town of Carmel, Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood, and the Huntsville, Alabama, suburb of Madison.

Separately, Bellevue, Washington, ranked 9th in Niche’s 2025 Best Cities to Live in America list, scoring highly for its public schools, jobs, diversity, and commute. It beat out liberal enclave Berkeley, California, which was 10th.

The rankings considered crime, school ratings, living costs, local amenities, and job prospects, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Labor Department, and other sources, according to Niche. The rankings included 230 cities and more than 18,000 locations across the U.S.

Here’s more on the rankings:

Is Bellevue a good place to live?

Bellevue, a city of about 151,000 people, has some of the best public schools and is one of the healthiest places to live in the nation, according to Niche. It has an “urban suburban” feel and scores highly for employment rates and business growth. The median household income is $161,300, and the median home value is $1.2 million. Residents generally reported feeling “pretty safe” in Bellevue.

Is South Lake Union a good neighborhood?

South Lake Union is the best neighborhood to raise a family in Seattle, and it’s also the best neighborhood in the city for young professionals, according to Niche. The median home value is $586,000, and the median rent is $2,445. The neighborhood also scores highly in the health and fitness, nightlife, commute, and outdoor activities categories. The median household income is $130,318.

Top 10 best places to live, according to Niche

Colonial Village, neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia
Atlantic Station, neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
Chesterbrook, suburb of Philadephia, Pennsylvania
Harbour Island, neighborhood in Tampa, Florida
City Center, neighborhood in Santa Monica, California
South Lake Union, neighborhood in Seattle, Washington
Carmel, town in Indiana
Midtown, neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
Madison, suburb of Huntsville, Alabama
Johns Creek, suburb of Atlanta, Georgia

Top 10 best cities to live, according to Niche

Naperville, Illinois
The Woodlands, Texas
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Arlington, Virginia
Irvine, California
Plano, Texas
Columbia, Maryland
Overland Park, Kansas
Bellevue, Washington
Berkeley, California

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Washington

Possibility of tornadoes in Washington Wednesday

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2025

Press Room

Possibility of tornadoes in Washington Wednesday

Tornadoes possible in Washington on Wednesday

The Washington state emergency center is keeping a close eye on the weather, as there is a possibility of tornadoes during Wednesday’s severe storms. Emergency management officials advise the public to stay prepared.

SEATTLE – The Washington Emergency Management Division is keeping a close eye on the weather Wednesday evening.

What they’re saying:

A spokesperson for the state emergency management center says tornadoes can pop up quickly without much warning in the Pacific Northwest.

He says you’ll want to prepare for possible severe weather by charging your phones and removing outdoor items like lawn furniture before it hits.

An EF2 tornado sent massive trees toppling into Christopher Raymond’s home in Port Orchard back in 2018. He talked with FOX 13 just after the storm.

“Some of us are just trying to hold on to whatever little we’ve got left. None of us died. That’s the most important part,” said Christopher Raymond during the FOX 13 interview in 2018.

Although tornadoes may be more of a rarity in Washington, they can happen.

Tornadoes were also captured on video in Kent in 2018, in Richaland in 2020 and in Hanford in 2014.

Crews also talked to a man in Longview who was pushed to the floor by a tornado in 2014. It also ripped his auto shop apart.

“Rips the door open, throws my butt on the floor. I watched the roof go. ‘Whoop.’ I don’t know where it went,” said Al Wills during an interview in 2014.

The Emergency Management Division or EMD says Washington state gets around 2.5 tornadoes a year.

“There is about 2% to 4% chance of a tornado,” said Steven Friederich, public information officer for the Public Emergency Management Division, Washington Oceanic Division.

He advises that if you hear a roaring sound from the wind, or see up to baseball-size hail falling during Wednesday’s storm, take cover.

“Get under something sturdy, keep sheltered until the storms have passed. That’s DUCK,” said Friederich. “That’s phrasing used all over the country.”

Even if the storm doesn’t generate a tornado, he says it’s a good idea to download utility apps associated with your providers in advance and prepare for power outages.

“Charging those external battery sources for your cell phones, today is a good day to do that, making sure you have batteries for your flashlights, making sure if you have a hybrid or electric car, making sure all that is charged,” said Friederich.

He says it’s also a good idea to stock up on food and other supplies ahead of a storm.

“We like to encourage people to be two weeks ready,” said Friederich.

Friederich says the EF2 tornado in Port Orchard ended up generating $1.8 million in damage.

He says it’s also a good idea to reach out to neighbors ahead of time in order to be able to better assist one another if disaster strikes.

The Source: Information in this story is from the Washington Emergency Management Division and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

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