Israeli Utility to Stop Disrupting Electricity in West Bank

JERUSALEM — Israel’s state-owned electric company will stop disrupting power supplies to Palestinian districts in the West Bank after reaching an agreement with the Israeli government meant to help offset a ballooning debt, Israeli officials said on Friday.

The deal involves the transfer of 300 million shekels, over $75 million, to the Israel Electric Corporation — money to be deducted from Palestinian tax revenues that Israel has been withholding for two months in response to the Palestinian leadership’s move to join the International Criminal Court.

Israel collects more than $100 million in monthly tax revenue on behalf of the Palestinian Authority — money that makes up a significant part of the budget needed to pay the authority’s tens of thousands of employees and provide government services. The withholding of the funds has caused a financial crisis in the authority, which has been unable to pay full salaries. Palestinian officials have denounced the move as “piracy.”

“I am happy now,” Mr. Masri said. “I was losing a lot of credibility telling people, ‘Next week, next week, next week.’”

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The New York Times