JERUSALEM, Saturday, 23 November 2019 (WAFA) – The Israeli Electricity Company (IEC) is going to increase power cut to Palestinians getting their power supply from the Palestinian power distributing company, the Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JEDCO), to three hours, instead of the current two hours, starting next months, JEDCO said in a press statement.

IEC started one month ago to impose punitive measures against JEDCO by cutting power supply to Palestinian households within JEDCO concession area, which includes Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho and surrounding villages, for two hours every two or three weeks due to what IEC claims was unpaid debt by JEDCO that reached around $500 million.

IEC seems to have decided to increase the power cut to three hours as of next month, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time, to pressure the privately-owned Palestinian company and the Palestinian Authority to pay the debt to the Israeli company.

JEDCO warned in its statement about the repercussions of this decision on life in general in the Palestinian areas, mainly affecting hospitals, clinics, schools, businesses, and households in general.

It urged customers to pay their bills on time in order for the company to meet its financial obligations to the Israeli company, its main supplier of the electric power.

M.K.