Israeli Electric Company to Cut Power to Several West Bank Areas

Israel routinely cuts electricity to Palestinian cities. (Photo: via MEMO)

The Israeli Electricity Company (IEC) is to cut the electricity supply to several parts of the occupied West Bank in response the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s debts, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

According to the Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan, the action is being taken as a result of the 500-million shekel ($157 million) debt not paid by the PA. The PA has been informed of the decision, the broadcaster said.

“Starting next Wednesday, rolling blackouts will hit West Bank areas near Jerusalem, including Ramallah and Bethlehem until the debts are paid or a deal is reached,” The  Times of Israel reported.

Hisham Omari, director of the Jerusalem District Electricity Company, accused in a statement the Israeli authorities of timing the announcement for political purposes, The Times of Israel noted.

“Israel deliberately creates crises, especially as we enter the winter season, in order to serve its goals,” The Times of Israel quoted Omari as saying.

This is not the first time the electricity supply has been cut to the occupied West Bank. In December 2019, the IEC put in place daily power cuts which lasted three hours disrupting the supply to a number of Palestinian cities.

At the time, the cuts lasted over a month, until the Palestinian-run Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), which buys electricity from the IEC and then sells it to customers in the West Bank, signed a loan agreement with several Palestinian banks in order to pay off the debt it owed.

Palestinians in the West Bank rely on IEC for over 95 per cent of their electricity supply.

(The Palestine Chronicle, MEMO, Social Media)

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