Israel is using a land route through several Arab countries to avoid a blockade by Yemen’s Houthis, Hebrew-language media reported.
Israel is reportedly importing goods through the Persian Gulf via the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Jordan in an attempt to bypass the Houthi-blocked shipping route through the Red Sea.
After the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the Houthis launched numerous attacks on ships that delivered goods to Israel, which significantly affected global trade.
From the east of the Arabian Peninsula to Israel?
That, along with United States (U.S.) and British naval and air strikes against Yemeni rebels, has forced ships to use an alternative route that runs through South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope around the continent and through the Mediterranean, making travel, and therefore much of global trade, more expensive and time-consuming.
In an attempt to circumvent these circumstances, Israel confirmed back in December that it was planning a land route stretching from the east of the Arabian Peninsula to Israel, as an alternative route that could potentially reduce the cost and length of time to transport goods.
Israel and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf initially did not confirm the reports, and some, such as the Jordanian government, denied the formation of such a land route.
However, Israel’s Channel 13 reported this week that the ships were headed for the Persian Gulf, from where they depart from Dubai in the UAE, pass through Saudi Arabia and Jordan and finally reach the Jordan Bridge in Israel.
These media allegations caused great anger in the Arab public, denouncing this alleged route – the “Path of Shame”.
What was announced by Channel 13
The operations are said to be between two companies – UAE-based Puretrans FZCO and Israel-based Trucknet, which transports goods by truck consisting of food, plastics, chemicals and electronic devices or components.
The process is said to be a pilot test before full use of the route, but a broadcast on Channel 13 confirms reports of an Israeli plan with the permission of those Arab states, despite the occupation war in Gaza and the war crime.
It comes after Israel’s Minister of Transport and Road Safety, Miri Regev, revealed last month that she was leading plans to develop the route, stating on the X that “overland freight transport will cut the time by 12 days and greatly reduce existing waiting times due to wire problems. We will do it and we will succeed”.
