RAMALLAH, Monday, December 16, 2019 (WAFA) – For the second day in a row, the Israel Electric Company (IEC) cut power supply for three hours to tens of thousands of Palestinian households, hospitals, businesses and schools in the Ramallah area in order to pressure the Palestinian-owned Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), supplier of electricity purchased from IEC, to pay its outstanding debt of around $500 million.

The three-hour power cut started at 2:00 p.m. sharp local time and is expected to resume at 5:00.

Power was cut yesterday during the same time from several areas in Ramallah and it is planned that power will also be cut on other areas in Ramallah as well as in occupied East Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho, areas of the occupied West Bank served by JDECO, in the next few days before it resumes next month, and possibly for several months to come.

The power cut policy started two months ago with blackouts declared for two hours in different parts of JDECO‘s concession areas and at different times. The hours were this month extended to three, and IEC is warning that this will be increased if JDECO does not pay its debt. IEC even said that, in an escalation of the pressure, it will cut current supply to JDECO power distribution points that feed its various customers if consumption increases past a certain .

JDECO fears that since in winter time electricity consumption normally increases, IEC may create a serious problem if it cuts power during cold weather leaving many people without heat.

JDECO accused IEC and the Israeli government, which backs the IEC decision, of imposing collective punishment against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, by forcing them to bear the brunt of the conflict between the two power companies.

M.K.