Hisham Omari has one of the most difficult jobs in Palestine. As director general of the Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), his job is to supply energy to some 280,000 customers spanning four districts. The company, the largest in Jerusalem, has become a national icon for Palestinians and a source of national pride.
The private/public company, which has been operating under an extended concession, has the exclusive rights to supply electricity to the districts of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Jericho. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Omari explained the complicated legal and administrative nature of his work. “We work with the Palestinian Authority in Areas A and B and with the Israeli civil administration in Area C and with the Israeli government in the annexed areas of Jerusalem.”