PALESTINE ELECTRICITY CRISIS CAUSED BY OCCUPATION

        Gaza, 25 Rabiul Awwal 1434 H/5 February 2013 (MINA) –  Taher Nunu, Palestinian government spokesman, said the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip.

        Nunu said in a statement on his Facebook page that the government is striving in every way to find solutions to the electricity crisis, according to occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com report monitored by Miraj News Agency(MINA), Tuesday.

      “The electricity crisis is caused by the occupation due to the siege imposed on Palestine, especially Gaza, and noted that even if it is the government’s duty to find solutions and substitutes, it cannot accept exchanging the rights with electricity or money”, he said.

      “We will not sell our country in exchange for electricity,” the government spokesman added, denouncing some western media comments which say that the government is in charge of providing electricity even through holding agreements with Israel.

       There were nine Palestinians , including 6 from the same family, passed away in the last few days in three separate incidents caused by the misuse of candles during power outages.

       Raed Abu Hayya( 42) died on Saturday morning, after the outbreak of fire in the house of one of his neighbors in the Saftawi area in the north of Gaza City.

       The spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qidra, told PIC’s reporter that the citizen Abu Hayya died after inhaling smoke from the fire, while trying to help in extinguishing the fire, which was caused by a candle, and saving the house’s inhabitants.

        A fire had also broke out last Thursday in a house in Shejaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City and caused the death of a whole family.

        The “Grizim” electrical lines were replaced or repaired in certain sections to deal with recently discovered instabilities.

        The northern region of Gaza is home to two large cities; Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia which consist of a population of approximately 70,000 residents. The completed upgrade of the “Grizim” electrical lines will increase the amount of electricity Israel will be able to supply Gaza and provide a more stable flow of electricity.

       In addition, at the past week the crossing pipe line was upgraded from mechanical pumping system to an electrical one, this will increase its efficiency and allow for easier access.  (T/P04/E1)

 

Miraj News Agency(MINA)