The Palestinian Authority (PA) has approved a long-delayed proposal to operate the Gaza Strip's power plant using Israeli natural gas and Qatari funding, according to Palestinian economic sources. Some critics, however, fear the project will undo an effort to cut Palestinian economic dependence on Israel.

Mohammed Abu Jayab, economist and editor of economic newspaper Al-Eqtesadia in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that Qatar has agreed with the PA and Israel to secure the necessary funds for the project. “This includes construction of a 40-kilometer-long [25-mile-long] gas pipeline route and three pumping stations along the eastern border of the Gaza Strip." The $88 million project will take 18 to 24 months to complete, he said, adding, "Implementation will start in early 2020."

Abu Jayab first revealed the deal on his Facebook blog, based on information from his sources in the Palestinian presidency. This PA-Qatar agreement took place during an Oct. 30 meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Qatari Ambassador Mohammed al-Emadi in Ramallah, who is also chairman of the Gaza Reconstruction Committee, Abu Jayab said.

It should be noted that Qatar first proposed this project in 2015, and several meetings on the topic have been held since then. It is now being discussed again in the wake of humanitarian understandings reached in October 2018 with the help of Egypt and Qatar. Those understandings were reached after the return marches on Gaza borders were launched in March 2018.