Israel pressures the Palestinians by cutting fuel
Palestine-Israel, Economics, 5/11/2006

In a fresh draconian measures aimed at narrowing Palestinian horizons, Israel has stopped all fuel supplies to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in what Palestinian officials describe as "another pressure tactic" by Israel.

The stoppage has nearly crippled the public transportation system throughout West Bank and Gaza and caused drastic shortages in cooking gas and other fuel derivatives.

In the Gaza Strip, a bigger number than usual of mule-hauled carts were seen in the streets, carrying merchandise and even transporting people to their homes and places of work.

The stoppage was initiated by the Israeli Dor Company, the sole supplier of fuel to the pursuant an agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority more than ten years ago.

According to Mujahed Salama, head of the Palestinian Fuel Corporation, Dor notified him of terminating all fuel shipments to the West Bank and Gaza as of Monday.

Salama pointed out that the Dor company was coming under pressure from the Israeli regime to stop fuel supplies to the West Bank and Gaza Strip for political reasons, namely blackmailing the Palestinian government and further narrowing its horizons.

He added that if the Israeli company did not resume fuel supplies immediately, the present inventory would have been used up within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been making urgent contacts with the US and EU, urging them to pressure Israel to resume fuel supplies to the PA areas.

Abbas reportedly described the Israeli measure as "unacceptable blackmail".
A spokesman for the Dor company said the stoppage of fuel supplies to 'the Palestinian areas' was the result of the Palestinian failure to secure overdue payments amounting to nearly $90 million dollars.

The spokesman denied Palestinian charges that the sanction was politically-motivated and that his company was being pressured by Israel to stop supplying fuel to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

However, Palestinian official Ghazi Hamed argued that the problem is first and foremost political. "We have an agreement with that company, the problem is not the money, the problem is political. Israel is trying to scuttle this government in a sea of crises, they are saying that openly." Hamed said the PA was contemplating importing fuel supplies from Egypt.

"Imagine we could get a cooking gas canister from Egypt for one dollar whereas we purchase from Israel at nine dollars per canister. "The Israelis are exploiting us in a very brazen and obscene manner."

Palestinian officials believe the Israeli measure is aimed at blackmailing and bullying the Palestinian authority and government into giving more political concessions to Israel. Israel also is withholding funds that belong to the Palestinian government, ever since Hamas came to power.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli occupation kidnap Palestinian in Bethlehem   (5/9/2006)
  Abbass: PLO is responsible for negotiations   (5/9/2006)
  Israel celebrates father of modern political Zionism   (5/8/2006)
  Food situation deteriorating in Palestinians areas   (4/29/2006)
  Pessimism over Palestinian economy   (4/27/2006)
  EU says aid suspension not hostile act against Palestinians   (4/24/2006)

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