Salman Al-Zurai’i is a researcher and policy analyst based in Gaza. He holds a BA in political science from Al-Azhar University in Gaza and currently works as a researcher and a human rights activist with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor. Al-Zurai’i previously worked as an assistant researcher and policy analyst at the Studies Unit at the Palestinian Department of Labor and Planning in Gaza. His research interests focus on the Palestinian question in international politics, Zionism and settler colonialism, transformations in Palestinian identity in the context of the national liberation movement, as well as the issues of social justice, human rights and international law.
From this author
On May 17, 2024, the US began operating a temporary floating pier off the coast of Gaza. Since the project’s announcement, many have expressed skepticism towards the pier’s effectiveness and deep concern regarding the US’s long-term plans and the pier’s potential role in serving Israeli objectives.
This commentary examines the pier’s operations and unpacks the many incentives for its development by key geopolitical players. It positions the pier within Israel’s longer-term strategy for Palestine, using the structure as a window into understanding the regime’s broader regional aims. Temporary or not, this commentary contends that the pier must not be viewed as merely a short-term humanitarian effort, but also as a symbol of the US and Israel’s continued imperial and colonial endeavors.
