Why Abbas asked Israel to cut power to Gaza
The Palestinian Authority has asked Israel to stop providing funding for Gaza's electricity as part of President Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts to pressure Hamas into ceding power.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Several Israeli media outlets, including Israel’s Channel 10, reported April 27 that the Palestinian Authority had asked the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories to stop funding electricity for the Gaza Strip.
Channel 10 reported that the PA submitted a formal request to the body's head, Yoav Mordechai, to halt funding in the amount of 40 million shekels ($12 million) a month, which Israel withholds from Palestinian tax revenues. However, Israel did not respond to the Palestinian demand and continued to supply electricity to Gaza.
The request appears to be part of the PA’s plan to pressure Hamas to hand over control of the Gaza Strip. Gazans rallied to condemn the Palestinian request.
Fathy Sheikh Khalil, deputy head of the Palestinian Energy Authority (PEA) in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, “We contacted the concerned Israeli authorities, who confirmed that the PA did in fact make the request to Israel.”
