PA pays $5m to Israeli Electricity Corporation

Local sources have revealed that the Palestinian Authority transferred 20 million New Israeli Shekels ($5.25 million) to the Israel Electricity Corporation (IEC) on Wednesday. The Israeli company has cut the power supply to some PA-controlled areas of the occupied West Bank, mainly in the provinces of Jericho and Bethlehem.

According to Yedioth Ahranoth, the IEC has reached a “temporary” agreement with the PA to end the reduced supplies across the West Bank in return for the payment. Since the end of last week, the occupation authorities have started to reduce the supply of electricity to PA-controlled areas under the pretext of the “outstanding accumulated debt” owed by the Palestinians, which stands at 1.3 billion shekels (about $342 million). The newspaper added that in the event that the debt is not paid in full, other punitive measures will be taken.

The director of the Jerusalem Electricity Company, Hisham Omari, announced on Wednesday morning that the Israeli company has withdrawn its threat to cut power to the city of Bethlehem, after negotiations with the PA.

The Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip import 90 per cent of their electricity needs from the occupying state, with a small percentage coming from Egypt to supply parts of Rafah, and some from Jordan to supply parts of Jericho.