Israel cuts off power into parts of West Bank
Israel cut off power to some parts of occupied West Bank. The national electricity company of Israel announced on September 22, 2019, cut off power to some parts of West Bank due to outstanding payments.
The outstanding electricity payments from the region amount to almost US$483 million. The power distributor is based in east Jerusalem. The company decided to reduce the electric current in some areas of the West Bank from September 23.There is no alternative other than this to get the money that was owed. The energy authority head Zafer Melhem stated that the Israeli government is seeking to put pressure on the Palestinian government to accept an agreement.The Palestinian Authority claimed that it has repaid debts worth nearly USD 100 million in the past two months.
The Palestinian health ministry further warned that the powers cuts could affect hospitals and medical centres.
About West Bank:
Israel cut off power to some parts of occupied West Bank. The national electricity company of Israel announced on September 22, 2019, cut off power to some parts of West Bank due to outstanding payments.
The outstanding electricity payments from the region amount to almost US$483 million. The power distributor is based in east Jerusalem. The company decided to reduce the electric current in some areas of the West Bank from September 23.There is no alternative other than this to get the money that was owed. The energy authority head Zafer Melhem stated that the Israeli government is seeking to put pressure on the Palestinian government to accept an agreement.The Palestinian Authority claimed that it has repaid debts worth nearly USD 100 million in the past two months.
The Palestinian health ministry further warned that the powers cuts could affect hospitals and medical centres.
About West Bank:
- The West Bank is a landlocked territory, which is bordered by Jordan to the east and the Green Line separating it and Israel in the north, south and west.
- The name ‘West Bank’ was given to the territory captured by Jordan after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The territory was occupied by Israel during the six-day war in 1967.
- The Oslo accords created administrative districts with varying levels of Palestinian autonomy within each area.
- Israel took an extreme step with respect to the West Bank. Israel decided to build a wall to separate Palestinians in the West Bank from Israel, its settlements inside West Bank and East Jerusalem.
