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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Gaza Electricity Company |
| 2010-04-12 |
| [Ma'an] The Gaza Electricity Company transferred 3 million US dollars to the Palestinian Authority treasury in Ramallah on Sunday, after Palestinian factions met to discuss the means to bring an end to blackouts experienced across the Gaza Strip. Yasser Al-Wadiyah, independent politician representative, announced the transfer, saying it "was agreed on [during the meeting] to transfer the appropriate fees, collected from [Gaza] residents to the PA in Ramallah." The official told Ma'an the meeting included all Palestinian factions and independent figures, as well as various heads, board members, directors and representatives of the private sector in Gaza and NGOs. "The meeting was held to discuss the means of getting the [electricity] situation back to normal and provide the power plant with the needed industrial fuel to avoid similar crises that would harm the health and education sectors," Al-Wadiyah said. Meanwhile, head of PR at the Gaza Electricity Company, Jamal Ad-Dardasawi, said fuel transfers for Gaza's sole power station had resumed, with three truckloads carrying 220,000 liters of diesel permitted into the besieged coastal enclave via its southern crossing wit Israel, Kerem Shalom. This fuel transfer will be spread over five days, with 1,100,100 liters fuel to be delivered within a week, Ad-Dardasawi said. The Israeli permits the maxim entry of 2,200,000 liters into Gaza, he added. "This is only enough to operate one out of four generators in the plant." The power station will be able to provide residents in the districts most affected by the fuel shortage with up to eight hours of electricity, instead of the current six hours of power and 12 hours of blackouts, he added. Shortages have plagued the power plant since December 2009, when European Union officials handed over responsibility for fuel transfers to the Palestinian Authority, apparently at the PA's request so EU aid could be channeled into civil servant salaries. Ever since the handover, as well as the corresponding closure of the main fuel transfer terminal at Nahal Oz, fuel imports have fallen to 50 percent of recent capacity. "This [the latest transfer] is insufficient and is not a way out of this major crisis faced by Gaza residents, but it is a step in the right direction, as it amends the electricity distribution to districts that are enveloped in darkness," said Ad-Dardasawi "I hope that the appropriate circumstances are created to increase the amount of fuel allowed in for the power plant to guarantee that at least two generators are functioning, to meet the residents' power needs," he said, expecting an increase in use over the summer. The sole power generator in the Gaza Strip was completely closed down on Saturday, the head of the electric company announced, following a day of unheeded warnings that a humanitarian crisis was at hand. Walid Sa'd Sayel, who also heads the Gaza power plant's board of directors, the energy crisis "catastrophic," insisting that relevant authorities "rescue the Gazans, who are human beings first and foremost, and they rely on power as much as they need water and air. Without action, we face a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented scale." Shortly after the announcement, both the PA and the Gaza government launched accusations at each other over responsibility for Gaza's ongoing fuel shortage, with Hamas alleging the Ramallah-based leadership had used EU funds intended for diesel transfers to increase civil servants' salaries. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 I think you summed it up, BlackBart. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-04-12 22:07 |
| #1 So the whole thing was about Hamas having to pay their Gaza fuel bills? And it was the PA sitting astride the pipe? No money no fuel? The Jews originally made the business arrangement with the PA for the transfer of fuel and that deal is still in place and it was at that time up to the PA to DISTRIBUTE the Fuel appropriately and now Hamas is in control of Gaza and they dont get their fuel DIRECTLY from the Jews, they have to get it through their ever so very dear friends in the PA? Because when the deal was ORIGINALLY made the Jews piped the stuff to a PA distributor... And now Hamas has to CO-OPERATE with PA to turn on the lights in GAZA. And it wasnt the Jews fault that PA and Hamas couldnt agree on WHO pays the bills on time. I just will bet that Hamas had to suck hard and smile with its mouth full on this little situation. Hamas had to ante or sit in the dark. And there was nuthin' they could do about it but kiss the pig's hiney and be told "do it like you mean it." It must be so wonderful to be a Palestinian. Wouldnt you just love to be a Palestinian? |
| Posted by: BlackBart 2010-04-12 08:03 |