Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
696. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to Israel's decision to reduce the supply of electricity to Gaza and that the reduction of electricity supplied by Israel to Gaza will cause a certain worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza; and if he will urgently raise his objection to the reduction of this fundamental supply with his Israeli counterpart. [28541/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIsrael is not the primary actor in this dispute over electricity supplies to Gaza, which is primarily one between the Palestinian Authority and the de facto Hamas authorities in Gaza, who still control the Strip. For some years Hamas has charged customers in Gaza for electricity supplied from Israel, but refused to pass these revenues to the Palestinian Authority, which pays Israel to supply the electricity. No government can be expected to tolerate this situation indefinitely.The Palestinian Authority has decided to reduce the amount of electricity it pays Israel to supply to Gaza, and the reported decision by Israel to reduce electricity supply is a consequence of that.
Notwithstanding the basis for the problem, the humanitarian consequences for Gaza will obviously be potentially very severe, and may arise very quickly. Mains electricity supply, already averaging only four hours per day following the shutdown in April of the only power plant in Gaza due to a dispute between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas over fuel supplies, is expected to be cut to as little as two hours per day. Additional power can only be provided by generators, which are not designed to run full time and for which fuel is in any case short. The consequences not just for household supply, but for pumping of water and sewage, and supplies to hospitals, schools and other utilities, are obvious.
I call clearly for all parties who have a part in this issue – the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Israel – to act promptly and realistically to resolve this dispute, in the interests of the people of Gaza. Ultimately, full responsibility for electricity supply and billing in Gaza should be in the hands of the Palestinian Authority.
Above and beyond these issues, there are also the wider questions of the overall restrictions on Gaza, including the delays in admitting materials to repair the Gaza power plant. Primary responsibility for these problems, which have already made living conditions in Gaza extremely difficult, does rest with Israel, and I repeat the consistent call of the European Union for the lifting of restrictions on Gaza.
