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| An Israeli engineer at an electrical substation near the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. |
October 16, 2019
By Faris K. Barhoum
Israel is going to step up and increase cuts to electricity in the West Bank due to unpaid debts and theft. Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO) chairman of the board and CEO Hisham Omari announced the move to cut electricity back in September. The cuts to power were announced in September and the first stage of power cuts occurred last month. As stated by Tzvi Joffre of The Jerusalem Post.com: "The Israeli Electric Corporation [IEC] may cut off electricity for as long as two hours a day. The Palestinian Authority owes about NIS 300 billion and about an additional NIS 150 million due to occurrences of electricity theft" (Joffre, 1). 300 billion shekels is $85 billion dollars and 150 million shekels is $42 million dollars.
Chairman and CEO of JDECO "warned that the cuts could adversely affect institutions, hospital, education, water, telecommunications, drug stores and other vital services and will further deteriorate the electrical situation in a manner similar to the situation in the Gaza Strip" (Ibid, 1). The Israeli Electric Company communicated to JDECO, "that electricity would be cut off on the 22nd of September from 10 a.m. to 12 noon local time in the cities and districts of Ramallah and Bethlehem, and on the 23rd from 12 noon until 2:00 p.m. in parts of Ramallah and Jericho and their area villages" (Ibid, 1). Back in August the Palestinian Authority and Israel reached an agreement "in which the authority would pay 300 million shekels [$85 million] to Israel to cover the debt owed to the IEC" (Ibid, 1). This is an ongoing battle that we will see play out for the foreseeable future.
Article,
Joffre, Tzvi."Israel To Increase Cuts To Electricity Provided
To Palestinians."
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israel-to-increase-cuts-to-electricity-provided-to-
Palestinians-604874. 10/16/19.
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