20 feb 2014
The Turkish government will transfer $5 million to the Palestinian Authority in the coming two days, the Palestinian ambassador to Turkey said on Thursday.
Nabil Maroof told Ma'an on Thursday that the money would be used to buy private lands from the current Palestinian owners in order to establish an industrial zone in Jenin in the northern West Bank.
The government of Turkey and the Palestinian Authority previously signed an agreement in October 2011 according to which Turkey agreed to pay $10 million to fund the purchase of land in Jenin in order to build an industrial zone.
Work on infrastructure for the industrial zone is expected to start once the purchase is completed.
The Palestinian Authority budget is heavily dependent on external donor aid, while Israeli restrictions on movement and trade have severely hampered economic growth.
The majority of international aid to the PA comes from the US and Europe, but in recent years the Arab countries and Turkey have contributed increasing amounts.
Nabil Maroof told Ma'an on Thursday that the money would be used to buy private lands from the current Palestinian owners in order to establish an industrial zone in Jenin in the northern West Bank.
The government of Turkey and the Palestinian Authority previously signed an agreement in October 2011 according to which Turkey agreed to pay $10 million to fund the purchase of land in Jenin in order to build an industrial zone.
Work on infrastructure for the industrial zone is expected to start once the purchase is completed.
The Palestinian Authority budget is heavily dependent on external donor aid, while Israeli restrictions on movement and trade have severely hampered economic growth.
The majority of international aid to the PA comes from the US and Europe, but in recent years the Arab countries and Turkey have contributed increasing amounts.
15 feb 2014
Gas stations across the West Bank have begun refusing to fuel vehicles of the Palestinian Authority's security forces after the Palestinian Authority failed to pay their gas bills for last six months, according to the West Bank Union of Gas Station Owners.
Deputy speaker of the union Nizar al-Jaabari told Ma'an on Saturday that the PA's accumulated debts total 55 million shekels ($15.7 million).
Al-Jaabari said that the union had notified security forces and the Palestinian Ministry of Finance on Feb. 2, warning them that the debts need to be settled by Feb. 15 in order to ensure continued access to gas.
Al-Jaabari added that at the time the union told security forces and the finance ministry that gas stations would stop fueling vehicles belonging to the PA security forces if they did not receive the payments by Feb. 15.
Al-Jaabari highlighted that because the PA has not been paying for fuel, some gas stations have been unable to buy fuel for their daily needs.
Deputy speaker of the union Nizar al-Jaabari told Ma'an on Saturday that the PA's accumulated debts total 55 million shekels ($15.7 million).
Al-Jaabari said that the union had notified security forces and the Palestinian Ministry of Finance on Feb. 2, warning them that the debts need to be settled by Feb. 15 in order to ensure continued access to gas.
Al-Jaabari added that at the time the union told security forces and the finance ministry that gas stations would stop fueling vehicles belonging to the PA security forces if they did not receive the payments by Feb. 15.
Al-Jaabari highlighted that because the PA has not been paying for fuel, some gas stations have been unable to buy fuel for their daily needs.
14 feb 2014
Japan announced, Thursday, a contribution of $30 million to the Palestinian budget, out of a total of $62.2 million to be donated.
WAFA reports that Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah thanked Japan during a press conference, after signing the agreement for its budget support, which he said comes at a time of difficult economic crises facing the government.
He said that the aid is going to help the government provide better service to the public.
WAFA reports that Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah thanked Japan during a press conference, after signing the agreement for its budget support, which he said comes at a time of difficult economic crises facing the government.
He said that the aid is going to help the government provide better service to the public.
12 feb 2014
The Palestinian Authority has been holding talks with Jordan to try and reopen the Prince Muhammad Bridge commercial crossing between Jordan and the northern West Bank, a Palestinian official said.
Undersecretary of the PA ministry of transportation Ali Shaath told Ma'an on Tuesday that a joint Palestinian-Jordanian committee has been tasked with preparing the plans to reopen the crossing.
The move will increase the Palestinian Authority's commercial exchange with Jordan and other Arab countries which "the Israeli occupation" has been impeding, he explained.
Shaath confirmed that Jordan had agreed to reopen the bridge, and that officials in the Palestinian department of civil affairs have been addressing the issue with Israel.
Prince Muhammad Bridge, also known as Damia Bridge, is a bridge over the Jordan River about 15 kilometers to the north of Jericho. The Israeli authorities have kept the bridge shut since 2005.
The closure of the bridge has burdened other available commercial crossings, and has negatively impacted the Palestinian economy.
In October, the World Bank said that a a result of Israeli control over Area C, where the bridge is located, the Palestinian economy suffers an estimated $3.4 billion in losses a year.
The lost potential income is equivalent to some 35 percent of the Palestinian gross domestic product in 2011.
Undersecretary of the PA ministry of transportation Ali Shaath told Ma'an on Tuesday that a joint Palestinian-Jordanian committee has been tasked with preparing the plans to reopen the crossing.
The move will increase the Palestinian Authority's commercial exchange with Jordan and other Arab countries which "the Israeli occupation" has been impeding, he explained.
Shaath confirmed that Jordan had agreed to reopen the bridge, and that officials in the Palestinian department of civil affairs have been addressing the issue with Israel.
Prince Muhammad Bridge, also known as Damia Bridge, is a bridge over the Jordan River about 15 kilometers to the north of Jericho. The Israeli authorities have kept the bridge shut since 2005.
The closure of the bridge has burdened other available commercial crossings, and has negatively impacted the Palestinian economy.
In October, the World Bank said that a a result of Israeli control over Area C, where the bridge is located, the Palestinian economy suffers an estimated $3.4 billion in losses a year.
The lost potential income is equivalent to some 35 percent of the Palestinian gross domestic product in 2011.
11 feb 2014
The Government of Japan has decided to extend USD 62 million approximately to the people of Palestine. This contribution is a part of Japan's support for ongoing peace negotiations between the two parties in order to realize a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the future based on a "two-state solution", Representative Office of Japan to the PA said in a press statement Tuesday.
In this regard, Japan calls on the Palestinian side to keep on exerting its efforts positively to proceed with ongoing negotiations with Israel, the statement added.
Japan's new contribution of USD 62.2 million consists of 30.0 million for financial support through the World Bank, 16.0 million support for refugees through UNRWA, 12.6 million support for infrastructure through UNDP and 3.6 million through UNICEF.
Japan, as a responsible member of the international community, intends to continue supporting the peace process both politically and economically, including the promotion of the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" initiative and the "Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)".
In this regard, Japan calls on the Palestinian side to keep on exerting its efforts positively to proceed with ongoing negotiations with Israel, the statement added.
Japan's new contribution of USD 62.2 million consists of 30.0 million for financial support through the World Bank, 16.0 million support for refugees through UNRWA, 12.6 million support for infrastructure through UNDP and 3.6 million through UNICEF.
Japan, as a responsible member of the international community, intends to continue supporting the peace process both politically and economically, including the promotion of the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" initiative and the "Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)".
9 feb 2014
MP Jamal al-Khudari in a press conference
MP Jamal al-Khudari said that 80% of the factories in Gaza got fully or partially closed due to the continued siege. Khudari, who is Head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, said Saturday in a press statement that the Israeli authorities are banning hundreds of raw material items to enter Gaza what caused the factories to stop working.
He insisted that “the Israeli occupation carefully decides the raw material items to be denied access to Gaza so that Gaza economy would be brought to a standstill and thus thousands of workers and engineers active in construction sector laid off,”
Al-Khudari stressed that “Israel’s justifications for the ban on many goods and raw materials are completely untenable and unrealistic as it’s just trying hard to impose a fait accompli.”
Gaza has been under an extreme economic blockade since 2007. Israel since was allowing limited quantities of construction supplies destined for international projects.
The smuggling tunnels which Gazans were forced to rely on for their needs mainly of building material and fuels were semi-completely destroyed following Egyptian military’s disposition of president Morsi in July 2013.
MP Jamal al-Khudari said that 80% of the factories in Gaza got fully or partially closed due to the continued siege. Khudari, who is Head of the Popular Committee against the Siege, said Saturday in a press statement that the Israeli authorities are banning hundreds of raw material items to enter Gaza what caused the factories to stop working.
He insisted that “the Israeli occupation carefully decides the raw material items to be denied access to Gaza so that Gaza economy would be brought to a standstill and thus thousands of workers and engineers active in construction sector laid off,”
Al-Khudari stressed that “Israel’s justifications for the ban on many goods and raw materials are completely untenable and unrealistic as it’s just trying hard to impose a fait accompli.”
Gaza has been under an extreme economic blockade since 2007. Israel since was allowing limited quantities of construction supplies destined for international projects.
The smuggling tunnels which Gazans were forced to rely on for their needs mainly of building material and fuels were semi-completely destroyed following Egyptian military’s disposition of president Morsi in July 2013.
5 feb 2014
Minister of Local Government Mohammed al-Farra
Ministry of Local Government said that Gaza municipalities during the last year implemented 61 projects worth $10 million. Minister Mohammed al-Farra in a press statement Wednesday said that the projects include the establishment of public libraries, the development of athletic fields and the allocation of areas for establishing an open market, a fishing port, new schools, mosques, health clinics, gardens, and other facilities.
The Jabalya Nazleh municipality in cooperation with Municipalities Development and Lending Fund has finished with a project worth €50,000 for opening a post office to receive complaints and requests submitted by citizens, the statement pointed out.
While the Khan Yunis municipality opened during the past year a coastal garden for its employees to enjoy making trips during summer times with their families.
It added that the municipal council of the Khan Younis town of Qarara opened a cultural center as part of Village & Neighborhood Development Project (VNDP) funded by World Bank and supervised by Center for Engineering and Planning (CEP).
The municipal council of the Khan Younis town of Bani Suhaila gave the Sharia Judiciary Council a land parcel of 300 square meters to establish a legal court, the minister said.
Ministry of Local Government said that Gaza municipalities during the last year implemented 61 projects worth $10 million. Minister Mohammed al-Farra in a press statement Wednesday said that the projects include the establishment of public libraries, the development of athletic fields and the allocation of areas for establishing an open market, a fishing port, new schools, mosques, health clinics, gardens, and other facilities.
The Jabalya Nazleh municipality in cooperation with Municipalities Development and Lending Fund has finished with a project worth €50,000 for opening a post office to receive complaints and requests submitted by citizens, the statement pointed out.
While the Khan Yunis municipality opened during the past year a coastal garden for its employees to enjoy making trips during summer times with their families.
It added that the municipal council of the Khan Younis town of Qarara opened a cultural center as part of Village & Neighborhood Development Project (VNDP) funded by World Bank and supervised by Center for Engineering and Planning (CEP).
The municipal council of the Khan Younis town of Bani Suhaila gave the Sharia Judiciary Council a land parcel of 300 square meters to establish a legal court, the minister said.
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Metal Workers Union said that seven thousand workers in Gaza Strip became jobless due to the Israeli continued siege. Head of the union Sami Amassi stated that the scrap metal industry sector suffers serious delay and significant decline due to power and fuel crisis in the besieged Strip.
Almost 90% of scrap metal factories, approximately 3,900 factories, have stopped working due to the siege, threatening tens of thousands of Palestinian families in their livelihood, he added. An owner of a metal workshop said that following the recent Egyptian events in early July, his and similar workshops have been witnessing serious difficulties. |
In a statement on Tuesday, The Jerusalem Post reported that the Palestinian Authority government had voted in favour of the PA's annual budget for 2014 and submitted it to President Mahmoud Abbas for approval.
Nearly half of the $4.2 billion budget will go to paying the salaries of employees of the Palestinian Authority – a 4.9% increase compared to last year's budget. The rise is the result of agreements signed between the PA government and various workers' unions in the West Bank.
The deficit in the PA's budget stands at $1.2 billion.
The expected income of the PA from taxes and other fees during 2014 is estimated at $2.7 billion. The PA also expects foreign aid to reach $1.6 billion during this year.
Nearly half of the $4.2 billion budget will go to paying the salaries of employees of the Palestinian Authority – a 4.9% increase compared to last year's budget. The rise is the result of agreements signed between the PA government and various workers' unions in the West Bank.
The deficit in the PA's budget stands at $1.2 billion.
The expected income of the PA from taxes and other fees during 2014 is estimated at $2.7 billion. The PA also expects foreign aid to reach $1.6 billion during this year.
4 feb 2014
Gaza students have to read by candle light due to electricity cuts
An Egyptian power line feeding the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah Monday idled, said PR officer at Gaza Electricity Distribution Company Jamal Dardasawi. The idled line provides Rafah city with 10 MWs of electrical power out of a total paid supply of 25 MWs of electricity needed by the city, Dardasawi told Safa Press Agency.
He pointed out that the company had to make changes to the electricity distribution program in the city to be limited to six hours a day.
The company contacted the Egyptian authorities to get the line repaired, which responded that maintenance work is likely to begin on Tuesday.
The line supplying Rafah city was damaged while caterpillars of the Egyptian military were active on the border area, the local news agency reported.
The Gaza Strip has been reeling under a gripping electricity crisis since 2008, when Israel bombed the sole power plant in the coastal enclave.
Since then, the 1.7 million population has been suffering power cuts regularly lasting 12 to 16 hours each day.
An Egyptian power line feeding the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah Monday idled, said PR officer at Gaza Electricity Distribution Company Jamal Dardasawi. The idled line provides Rafah city with 10 MWs of electrical power out of a total paid supply of 25 MWs of electricity needed by the city, Dardasawi told Safa Press Agency.
He pointed out that the company had to make changes to the electricity distribution program in the city to be limited to six hours a day.
The company contacted the Egyptian authorities to get the line repaired, which responded that maintenance work is likely to begin on Tuesday.
The line supplying Rafah city was damaged while caterpillars of the Egyptian military were active on the border area, the local news agency reported.
The Gaza Strip has been reeling under a gripping electricity crisis since 2008, when Israel bombed the sole power plant in the coastal enclave.
Since then, the 1.7 million population has been suffering power cuts regularly lasting 12 to 16 hours each day.
3 feb 2014
Israel Electric Corporation headquarters, Haifa
The launching ceremony of the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company (PETL) was held on Monday, in Ramallah, and was attended by high-ranking Palestinian officials and an EU representative.
PETL is the first national governmental company established in Palestine to build, own and operate the Palestinian electricity transmission system, according to a report by Palestine News & Info Agency WAFA. It will be the sole designated buyer of electricity for transmission to Palestinian market.
The PETL mission is to secure a continuous and reliable electricity supply to the Palestinian people, in line with international standards and at economic prices, while achieving optimal investment in the transmission infrastructure.
The ceremony was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamadallah, and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa, EU Representative, John Gatt-Rutter, CEO of PETL Fuad Al Amleh, and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Energy Omar Kittaneh, in addition to other dignitaries.
Hamadallah stated that Palestine has achieved remarkable progress in developing the energy sector, ensuring that it meets the accelerating demand on energy.
He added that centralizing the energy sector is a preliminary step toward reducing energy dependence on Israel.
Palestinians to Centralize Energy Sector as a Step toward Statehood Independence
The launching ceremony of the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company (PETL) was held Monday in Ramallah and was attended by Palestinian high-ranking officials and an EU representative. PETL is the first national governmental company established in Palestine to build, own and operate the Palestinian electricity transmission system. It will be the sole designated buyer of electricity for transmission to Palestinian market.
PETL mission is to secure a continuous and reliable electricity supply to the Palestinian people in line with international standards and at economic prices while achieving optimal investment in the transmission infrastructure.
The ceremony was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamadallah, and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa, EU Representative, John Gatt-Rutter, CEO of PETL Fuad Al Amleh, and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Energy Omar Kittaneh, in addition to other dignitaries.
Hamadallah stated that Palestine has achieved remarkable progress in developing the energy sector, ensuring that it meets the accelerating demand on energy.
He added that centralizing the energy sector is a preliminary step toward reducing energy dependence on Israel.
He said that the Palestinian Government continues to exert efforts to extract natural gas from Gaza offshore gas field and explore oil in West Bank fields, stressing that this would reduce dependence on foreign aid, boost the national economy and provide energy sources.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa stated that the PA currently spends about USD 2.5 billions on the energy sector; approximately USD 700 millions are spend on purchasing electricity from Israel while the rest goes for purchasing petroleum and gas products.
He stressed that the foundation of PETL helps the Palestinians achieve political and economic independence and construct a vital infrastructure system.
Gatt-Rutter stated that the EU has supported the PA’s efforts to invest in the energy sector and that this support falls in line with the EU efforts to advance the peace process.
The launching ceremony of the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company (PETL) was held on Monday, in Ramallah, and was attended by high-ranking Palestinian officials and an EU representative.
PETL is the first national governmental company established in Palestine to build, own and operate the Palestinian electricity transmission system, according to a report by Palestine News & Info Agency WAFA. It will be the sole designated buyer of electricity for transmission to Palestinian market.
The PETL mission is to secure a continuous and reliable electricity supply to the Palestinian people, in line with international standards and at economic prices, while achieving optimal investment in the transmission infrastructure.
The ceremony was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamadallah, and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa, EU Representative, John Gatt-Rutter, CEO of PETL Fuad Al Amleh, and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Energy Omar Kittaneh, in addition to other dignitaries.
Hamadallah stated that Palestine has achieved remarkable progress in developing the energy sector, ensuring that it meets the accelerating demand on energy.
He added that centralizing the energy sector is a preliminary step toward reducing energy dependence on Israel.
Palestinians to Centralize Energy Sector as a Step toward Statehood Independence
The launching ceremony of the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company (PETL) was held Monday in Ramallah and was attended by Palestinian high-ranking officials and an EU representative. PETL is the first national governmental company established in Palestine to build, own and operate the Palestinian electricity transmission system. It will be the sole designated buyer of electricity for transmission to Palestinian market.
PETL mission is to secure a continuous and reliable electricity supply to the Palestinian people in line with international standards and at economic prices while achieving optimal investment in the transmission infrastructure.
The ceremony was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamadallah, and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa, EU Representative, John Gatt-Rutter, CEO of PETL Fuad Al Amleh, and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Energy Omar Kittaneh, in addition to other dignitaries.
Hamadallah stated that Palestine has achieved remarkable progress in developing the energy sector, ensuring that it meets the accelerating demand on energy.
He added that centralizing the energy sector is a preliminary step toward reducing energy dependence on Israel.
He said that the Palestinian Government continues to exert efforts to extract natural gas from Gaza offshore gas field and explore oil in West Bank fields, stressing that this would reduce dependence on foreign aid, boost the national economy and provide energy sources.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mohammad Mustafa stated that the PA currently spends about USD 2.5 billions on the energy sector; approximately USD 700 millions are spend on purchasing electricity from Israel while the rest goes for purchasing petroleum and gas products.
He stressed that the foundation of PETL helps the Palestinians achieve political and economic independence and construct a vital infrastructure system.
Gatt-Rutter stated that the EU has supported the PA’s efforts to invest in the energy sector and that this support falls in line with the EU efforts to advance the peace process.
2 feb 2014
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah stressed Sunday the importance of Japan’s economic support in helping the Palestinian government and people. During a meeting with Japan’s commissioner for peace in the Middle East, Yutaka Uemura, in the cabinet headquarters in Ramallah, they discussed ways to promote the mutual cooperation between the two countries.
They also discussed Japan’s economic support through the UN organizations, the World Bank and through the UNRWA aids to the refugee camps.
Uemura briefed Hamdallah on the latest economic and developmental projects implemented by Japan in the occupied Palestinian Territory, stressing Japan’s continues support to the Palestinian people and government.
They also discussed Japan’s economic support through the UN organizations, the World Bank and through the UNRWA aids to the refugee camps.
Uemura briefed Hamdallah on the latest economic and developmental projects implemented by Japan in the occupied Palestinian Territory, stressing Japan’s continues support to the Palestinian people and government.
27 jan 2014
Palestinian nurse tends to a baby inside an incubator at a hospital in Khan Yunis
By Hazem Balousha
Abir al-Hurqali got dressed and put on makeup as she prepared to leave her house in the Shujaiyya neighborhood of Gaza City to attend her cousin's wedding. The ceremony was being held in a wedding hall in another part of the city. Hurqali was shocked when she tried to operate her electric wheelchair only to discover that the battery had died and needed recharging, which would take at least an hour.
When she tried to recharge the battery, Hurqali realized that the electricity was off. This left her frustrated, since she was the last person in her family to leave the house. She had to call one of her neighbors to give her a ride to the main street, where she could take a cab to the wedding. The side street leading to her home was not designed to accommodate cars, so cabs could not drive to her door.
Hurqali is one of Gaza's many physically disabled residents. She uses her electric wheelchair on a daily basis to go to university, where she is majoring in multimedia studies. Her movement, however, is often restrained by electricity outages. Every time she wants to go somewhere, she has to check whether the battery will last long enough to get her to her destination and then back home.
“I have struggled a lot with the continuous electricity outages,” Hurqali told Al-Monitor. “Frequently, I can't leave the house because the wheelchair battery is dead or doesn't have enough power for me to reach my destination.”
“Recently, I began calculating the time it takes me to reach my destination and how much power will be left in the battery, since it has died on me in the middle of the road more than once. When this happened, I had to call one of my family members to pick me up in a cab and take me to the closest place that has electricity available to recharge the battery,” she said.
Gaza has suffered from a severe electricity shortage since mid-2006, after Israel bombed the territory's only power plant. The crisis was then compounded by the political disputes between Gaza and Ramallah and issues surrounding importing the industrial fuel required for the movements’ operations. Electricity is provided for eight hours a day, and is periodically cut for another eight hours.
As part of a project implemented by the Salam Club for the disabled in Gaza, a few months ago Hurqali received a solar panel to recharge her wheelchair battery when electricity is unavailable from the grid. It has been a great help to her.
Hurqali offered, “Now I go to university without any problem. I don't think about recharging the battery using electricity, because I have my solar panel. It restored [the usefulness of] my wheelchair after I thought for years that it was useless. Now I can go anywhere without having to calculate how much battery power is still left.”
Many Gazans have started to rely on solar energy to generate electricity as a replacement for other methods, such as generators that operate on fuel imported from Israel. Gaza is struggling with a scarcity of fuel, in addition to its high price, after smuggling through tunnels on the Egyptian border ceased in mid-2013.
Ali Hussein, an engineer and owner of a company involved in solar energy, told Al-Monitor that the demand for solar energy systems has been increasing among Gazans. The high price of the systems, however, limit the purchasing power of many residents.
According to Hussein, the cheapest system for home use costs around $1,350, an extremely high price for the majority of Palestinians in Gaza. The system can provide lighting for hours and operate television sets and other light electrical appliances.
Some public institutions recently began to rely on solar systems in some of their facilities. At the Nasr Children’s Hospital, the nursery for premature children relies completely on such a system. In addition, the water-pumping station in Khan Yunis is currently functioning on solar power as are some schools in the Gaza Strip.
In general, systems that use solar energy are categorized as negative or positive, depending on the way they use and transform solar energy and distribute it. The technologies using a positive solar energy system involve the use of photovoltaic panels and a solar thermal collector, in addition to electrical and mechanical devices, to transform sunlight into a useful form of energy.
Gaza resident Ayman Ayyad said that 70% of the energy used in his home is solar. After a long struggle with the ongoing electricity outages, he turned to solar power eight months ago. The outages were particularly hard on him because he has a lung disease and must operate a ventilator every few hours.
“I feel relatively better now in terms of electricity. I no longer struggle [to operate my ventilator] since I installed the solar energy system at home. Although it was very expensive, costing more than $4,000, my need for electricity is priceless because of my medical ventilator,” he told Al-Monitor.
Gazans have been trying to find alternative means to alleviate the electricity problem since it emerged. At first, they relied on small, fuel-operated generators, and then they turned to rechargeable batteries, called inverters, used for lighting. The current trend appears to be toward solar energy, but financial hardship is impeding it from becoming widespread.
By Hazem Balousha
Abir al-Hurqali got dressed and put on makeup as she prepared to leave her house in the Shujaiyya neighborhood of Gaza City to attend her cousin's wedding. The ceremony was being held in a wedding hall in another part of the city. Hurqali was shocked when she tried to operate her electric wheelchair only to discover that the battery had died and needed recharging, which would take at least an hour.
When she tried to recharge the battery, Hurqali realized that the electricity was off. This left her frustrated, since she was the last person in her family to leave the house. She had to call one of her neighbors to give her a ride to the main street, where she could take a cab to the wedding. The side street leading to her home was not designed to accommodate cars, so cabs could not drive to her door.
Hurqali is one of Gaza's many physically disabled residents. She uses her electric wheelchair on a daily basis to go to university, where she is majoring in multimedia studies. Her movement, however, is often restrained by electricity outages. Every time she wants to go somewhere, she has to check whether the battery will last long enough to get her to her destination and then back home.
“I have struggled a lot with the continuous electricity outages,” Hurqali told Al-Monitor. “Frequently, I can't leave the house because the wheelchair battery is dead or doesn't have enough power for me to reach my destination.”
“Recently, I began calculating the time it takes me to reach my destination and how much power will be left in the battery, since it has died on me in the middle of the road more than once. When this happened, I had to call one of my family members to pick me up in a cab and take me to the closest place that has electricity available to recharge the battery,” she said.
Gaza has suffered from a severe electricity shortage since mid-2006, after Israel bombed the territory's only power plant. The crisis was then compounded by the political disputes between Gaza and Ramallah and issues surrounding importing the industrial fuel required for the movements’ operations. Electricity is provided for eight hours a day, and is periodically cut for another eight hours.
As part of a project implemented by the Salam Club for the disabled in Gaza, a few months ago Hurqali received a solar panel to recharge her wheelchair battery when electricity is unavailable from the grid. It has been a great help to her.
Hurqali offered, “Now I go to university without any problem. I don't think about recharging the battery using electricity, because I have my solar panel. It restored [the usefulness of] my wheelchair after I thought for years that it was useless. Now I can go anywhere without having to calculate how much battery power is still left.”
Many Gazans have started to rely on solar energy to generate electricity as a replacement for other methods, such as generators that operate on fuel imported from Israel. Gaza is struggling with a scarcity of fuel, in addition to its high price, after smuggling through tunnels on the Egyptian border ceased in mid-2013.
Ali Hussein, an engineer and owner of a company involved in solar energy, told Al-Monitor that the demand for solar energy systems has been increasing among Gazans. The high price of the systems, however, limit the purchasing power of many residents.
According to Hussein, the cheapest system for home use costs around $1,350, an extremely high price for the majority of Palestinians in Gaza. The system can provide lighting for hours and operate television sets and other light electrical appliances.
Some public institutions recently began to rely on solar systems in some of their facilities. At the Nasr Children’s Hospital, the nursery for premature children relies completely on such a system. In addition, the water-pumping station in Khan Yunis is currently functioning on solar power as are some schools in the Gaza Strip.
In general, systems that use solar energy are categorized as negative or positive, depending on the way they use and transform solar energy and distribute it. The technologies using a positive solar energy system involve the use of photovoltaic panels and a solar thermal collector, in addition to electrical and mechanical devices, to transform sunlight into a useful form of energy.
Gaza resident Ayman Ayyad said that 70% of the energy used in his home is solar. After a long struggle with the ongoing electricity outages, he turned to solar power eight months ago. The outages were particularly hard on him because he has a lung disease and must operate a ventilator every few hours.
“I feel relatively better now in terms of electricity. I no longer struggle [to operate my ventilator] since I installed the solar energy system at home. Although it was very expensive, costing more than $4,000, my need for electricity is priceless because of my medical ventilator,” he told Al-Monitor.
Gazans have been trying to find alternative means to alleviate the electricity problem since it emerged. At first, they relied on small, fuel-operated generators, and then they turned to rechargeable batteries, called inverters, used for lighting. The current trend appears to be toward solar energy, but financial hardship is impeding it from becoming widespread.
Abdulrahman Murad
For years, Israeli restrictions and unexpected closures of the Gaza Strip's lone commercial crossing have caused severe losses for strawberry growers in the coastal enclave, whose produce is mainly destined for European markets.
But in the current growing season, which began in November and continues through February, the losses have been doubled, as a heavy winter storm hit the region in December, damaging their fields and ripe crops.
Among those coping with the loss is Khader al-Khatib, 58, who planted a patch of nearly two acres with strawberry, hoping to provide for his 20-member family.
"Half of my strawberries have been swamped with water and the other half damaged by severe cold," he told Ma'an.
Tahseen al-Saqa, the general director of marketing in the Ministry of Agriculture, said about 7.4 acres cultivated with strawberries were completely damaged as a result of the storm, and up to 24.7 acres sustained less degrees of damage. He estimated the damage toll at $250,000.
Abdulrazik al-Direblah, another strawberry farmer who works on a low-lying field, said that around half of his blooming crops were swept by harsh winds, rainwater and mud, tearing apart the plastic coverings.
Of the 500 kilograms of strawberry Direblah picked up, only half was suitable for export. Eventually, he sold the produce that did not meet the European standards in the local market, offsetting only 40 percent of their production cost.
Strawberries are one of a handful of items that Israel allows to leave Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which it controls.
Most of the strawberry growers here plant the seeds early hoping to benefit from the better-paying European market.
However, Israel's export restrictions have compounded the burden on Gaza strawberry farmers during the current season.
On Dec. 24, 2013, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered the closure of Kerem Shalom crossing, suspending the scheduled export of sixteen tons of strawberries to western Europe on the 25th and 26th of the month, the Israeli NGO Gisha, Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, reported.
Asked about his most recent exported share of strawberries, Khatib said "(the Israelis) opened the crossing, but it didn't sell at a good export price," referring to the delayed reaping of his crop due to the four-day-long storm.
Khatib wondered indignantly "why Israel is not allowing Gaza's cheap strawberries into the West Bank," arguing that "a kilogram of Gaza strawberries is exported at 15 Shekels ($4.30), while Israel is selling it to the West Bank at 40 shekels ($11.48)."
Strawberry production has been on the decline since Israel imposed the blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007 and the consecutive ban on Gaza exports.
Mr. Saqa said that 1500 tons of strawberry were being exported to Europe before the siege, but these figures have already dropped to 400-500.
Despite Israel's easing on export restrictions from Gaza, allowing an average of two trucks per day to exit Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing in December 2010, they have not resulted in a recovery of strawberry production.
Strawberry farmers only occupy between 100 and 120 acres of land for planting in the Gaza Strip, compared to some 618 acres prior to 2007. Mr. Saqa confirmed the hardships, pointing to the high strawberry production costs as yet another major factor behind Gaza farmers' disinterest in growing strawberries.
The past three years were the worst for Rafeeq Abu Samra, who has been growing strawberry for 22 years.
Israel's November 2012 military operation, which also coincided with harvest season, frequent border closures, and most recently the extreme storm have caused him a great loss, he explained with little hope.
"The cold damaged 70-80 kilos of strawberry everyday, an amount four-fold the medium-quality average, which mostly goes for local consumption," Abu Samra said, who along with three farmers plants on 3.5 acres of land, of which ten are rented, and employs seven workers who are hired seasonally.
The semi-absence of the smuggling tunnel trade in recent months has added to increasing the price of strawberry production in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
"A dunum -- nearly 0.25 acre -- of strawberry costs me $3500 per annum," he said.
"After the tunnels were destroyed, we had had to resort to Israel-imported seedlings, insecticides, and fertilizers instead of Egypt-smuggled ones. All of that, coupled with labor and watering costs, was a blow to my business."
"Growing strawberries is no longer a business for saving; it barely earns a living enough for my family and for the farmers working with me," Abu Samra added.
"Strawberries are an export fruit that Gaza farmers grow with care," al-Saqa said, noting that "it doesn’t pay off if farmers are unable to export, as the local price of strawberry per ton amounts to $1000, or two-third less than the export price.”
Direblah does not expect better conditions for the strawberry crop in the years to come, blaming Israel's continuing export restrictions.
"It's a political issue. They don't want our strawberries -- the best in the world -- to go beyond Gaza."
Abdulrahman Murad submitted this article to Ma'an News Agency
For years, Israeli restrictions and unexpected closures of the Gaza Strip's lone commercial crossing have caused severe losses for strawberry growers in the coastal enclave, whose produce is mainly destined for European markets.
But in the current growing season, which began in November and continues through February, the losses have been doubled, as a heavy winter storm hit the region in December, damaging their fields and ripe crops.
Among those coping with the loss is Khader al-Khatib, 58, who planted a patch of nearly two acres with strawberry, hoping to provide for his 20-member family.
"Half of my strawberries have been swamped with water and the other half damaged by severe cold," he told Ma'an.
Tahseen al-Saqa, the general director of marketing in the Ministry of Agriculture, said about 7.4 acres cultivated with strawberries were completely damaged as a result of the storm, and up to 24.7 acres sustained less degrees of damage. He estimated the damage toll at $250,000.
Abdulrazik al-Direblah, another strawberry farmer who works on a low-lying field, said that around half of his blooming crops were swept by harsh winds, rainwater and mud, tearing apart the plastic coverings.
Of the 500 kilograms of strawberry Direblah picked up, only half was suitable for export. Eventually, he sold the produce that did not meet the European standards in the local market, offsetting only 40 percent of their production cost.
Strawberries are one of a handful of items that Israel allows to leave Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which it controls.
Most of the strawberry growers here plant the seeds early hoping to benefit from the better-paying European market.
However, Israel's export restrictions have compounded the burden on Gaza strawberry farmers during the current season.
On Dec. 24, 2013, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered the closure of Kerem Shalom crossing, suspending the scheduled export of sixteen tons of strawberries to western Europe on the 25th and 26th of the month, the Israeli NGO Gisha, Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, reported.
Asked about his most recent exported share of strawberries, Khatib said "(the Israelis) opened the crossing, but it didn't sell at a good export price," referring to the delayed reaping of his crop due to the four-day-long storm.
Khatib wondered indignantly "why Israel is not allowing Gaza's cheap strawberries into the West Bank," arguing that "a kilogram of Gaza strawberries is exported at 15 Shekels ($4.30), while Israel is selling it to the West Bank at 40 shekels ($11.48)."
Strawberry production has been on the decline since Israel imposed the blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007 and the consecutive ban on Gaza exports.
Mr. Saqa said that 1500 tons of strawberry were being exported to Europe before the siege, but these figures have already dropped to 400-500.
Despite Israel's easing on export restrictions from Gaza, allowing an average of two trucks per day to exit Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing in December 2010, they have not resulted in a recovery of strawberry production.
Strawberry farmers only occupy between 100 and 120 acres of land for planting in the Gaza Strip, compared to some 618 acres prior to 2007. Mr. Saqa confirmed the hardships, pointing to the high strawberry production costs as yet another major factor behind Gaza farmers' disinterest in growing strawberries.
The past three years were the worst for Rafeeq Abu Samra, who has been growing strawberry for 22 years.
Israel's November 2012 military operation, which also coincided with harvest season, frequent border closures, and most recently the extreme storm have caused him a great loss, he explained with little hope.
"The cold damaged 70-80 kilos of strawberry everyday, an amount four-fold the medium-quality average, which mostly goes for local consumption," Abu Samra said, who along with three farmers plants on 3.5 acres of land, of which ten are rented, and employs seven workers who are hired seasonally.
The semi-absence of the smuggling tunnel trade in recent months has added to increasing the price of strawberry production in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
"A dunum -- nearly 0.25 acre -- of strawberry costs me $3500 per annum," he said.
"After the tunnels were destroyed, we had had to resort to Israel-imported seedlings, insecticides, and fertilizers instead of Egypt-smuggled ones. All of that, coupled with labor and watering costs, was a blow to my business."
"Growing strawberries is no longer a business for saving; it barely earns a living enough for my family and for the farmers working with me," Abu Samra added.
"Strawberries are an export fruit that Gaza farmers grow with care," al-Saqa said, noting that "it doesn’t pay off if farmers are unable to export, as the local price of strawberry per ton amounts to $1000, or two-third less than the export price.”
Direblah does not expect better conditions for the strawberry crop in the years to come, blaming Israel's continuing export restrictions.
"It's a political issue. They don't want our strawberries -- the best in the world -- to go beyond Gaza."
Abdulrahman Murad submitted this article to Ma'an News Agency
