Andrew Forrest in plan for new automated SafeGates between Israel and Gaza
Andrew Forrest’s plan would help open up an aid bottleneck into Gaza and address security concerns around aid shipments.
Andrew Forrest will attempt to build new automated gates to open up the flow of aid into Gaza in an effort to avert what he says is a looming “mass starvation event” in the region.
The mining magnate says he has developed the plan for hi-tech unmanned gates between Israel and Gaza in recent months in consultation with both the Israeli government and Palestinian communities.
The automated gates, dedicated solely to “soft” aid such as food, water, and medical and sanitation supplies, will feature high-resolution scanners and radar equipment to ensure no prohibited items flow in or out of Gaza.
Dr Forrest’s philanthropic arm, the Minderoo Foundation, will also pump $US5m ($7.6m) into upgrading and improving the Jordanian corridor that is currently the main humanitarian land corridor into Gaza.
He told The Australian that, if Israel agreed to the plan, the first “SafeGate” could be up and running within two weeks.
“This is a truly innovative way to get aid through any hostile border crossing, but should definitely be utilised here where we have a proper starvation event developing,” he said.
The gates, he said, could allow up to 10,000 tonnes of aid per day to flow into Gaza. “And we can do it with no risk to Israeli forces or the people of Gaza because everything is automated, only soft goods are transported through the automated gates and there is no transfer of personnel between Israel and Gaza.”
Installing the gates, Dr Forrest said, would free up military personnel in Israel devoted to security checks of aid trucks. The flow of aid into Gaza has become a major bottleneck, with the United Nations World Food Programme saying that trucks are having to wait days to clear security checks.
Dr Forrest said the Minderoo scanners would address any security concerns surrounding the aid trucks. “If there’s an insect on the chassis we’re going to pick that up, so that completely meets the concerns of Israel that anything returning from Gaza might be booby-trapped or might have illegal personnel in it,” he said.
“Nothing can get back in unless its signature taken on its entry matches exactly the signature taken on its exit.”
Dr Forrest said the population inside Gaza was starving and was being exploited by a black market.
“This mechanism overwhelms the black market with free food so there’s no commercial incentive for it to operate,” he said.
The SafeGates draw on automation technology already in use at the Pilbara iron ore mines of Dr Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group.
Under the Jordanian funding support announced by Minderoo on Tuesday, the foundation will provide several trucks to be operated by the Jordanian armed forces to drive aid into Gaza. Minderoo so far provided $11.5m towards delivering aid into Gaza.
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