Electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip
The Gaza electricity crisis is an ongoing growing electricity crisis faced by nearly two million citizens of the Gaza Strip, with most Gazans now having only four hours of power a day and around 20 hours without power.[1] This is a result of the tensions between Hamas, who rules Gaza, and the Palestinian Authority/Fatah, who rules the West Bank. The Palestine Authority has asked Israel to cut Gaza's power,[2] but Israel is currently estimated to be paying $3m a week to keep their military enemy's power supply going to prevent a humanitarian crisis. Israel provides Gaza with 125 megawatts, which accounts for 55% of the territory's usual electricity supply. Israeli media say the cost is about $11 million a month, which Israel deducts from tax revenue collected on behalf of the PA.
Even though Gaza is ruled by Hamas, they are dependent on the PA to help provide electricity – Hamas gets the fuel for Gaza’s power plant from the PA, and the PA, not Hamas, pays the bill to Israel for the electricity Israel provides to Gaza. The Palestine Authority has ceased payments.[3]
Palestinian leaders' internecine warfare is based on a clan structure[4] which impacts at state and individual levels.
References
- ^ White, Aron (June 1, 2017), Gaza's Electricity and the Tragedy of Palestinian Leadership
- ^ Abu Amer, Ahmad (May 9, 2017), Palestinian Authority 'stops paying Israel for Gaza electricity', Al Monitor
- ^ Why Abbas asked Israel to cut power to Gaza, BBC News, April 27, 2017
- ^ Clans and Militias in Palestinian Politics (PDF), Brandeis University, February 2008