The Israel Electric Corporation has threatened to begin cutting power to Palestinian areas of the West Bank next week over unpaid bills.
The Palestinian Authority has been notified by Israeli authorities of pending blackouts if the mounting debt is not paid.
Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO) Chief Hisham al-Omari accused Israeli authorities of deliberately timing the announcement for political purposes.
“Israel deliberately creates crises, especially as we enter the winter season, in order to serve its goals,” Omari stressed in a statement.
He said the company is in contact with the Palestinian government to discuss appropriate solutions to overcome the electricity crisis.
Meanwhile, a new project was launched in Tel Aviv to supply clean electricity to large areas in the eastern Gaza Strip.
Israel claimed that it is “a single policy aimed at encouraging moderation and promoting calm while ensuring that the power supply is not free of charge.”
Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar has allocated a budget to fund planning to install solar panels and produce clean, low-cost electricity from nature.
This project would provide electricity to the Israeli towns surrounding the enclave, as well as the Palestinian towns in the east of the Strip.
According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Head of the Eshkol Regional council Gadi Yarkoni submitted the initiative as a proposal that was approved by Elharrar.
Yarkoni was concerned the Israeli army would prevent launching the project as the panels will be installed on the border with Gaza and would be destroyed in the first clash.
However, the army supported its implementation. Commander of the Southern Command Major General Eliezer Toledano said the project serves both sides’ interests and helps maintain calm, in line with the army’s policy of providing great facilities to the Palestinians to maintain security.
