The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity – AMAN held a meeting to discuss the electricity convention between the Palestinian government and the Israeli side on September 13, 2016, in which they called on the authorities responsible for this file and the representative of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Palestinian government to publish the agreements details and to allow the citizens to access the information of the agreement.
Dr. Azmi Shuaibi - Consultant to the Board of Directors of AMAN coalition, expressed regret for the absence of the Ministry of Energy on this important meeting, which serves as an open platform to address citizens and explain the "historical achievement" according to official statements after the signing of the convention, Who was the signatory, the Qatari Israeli company, the Israeli government or the civil administration? What is the financial, technical and legal impact? Does the agreement include the transfer of all points of network within the 67 areas of the national carrier, and will this include settlementareas? What are the financial arrangements and implications of the agreement on electricity tariffs?
Al-Shuaibi said that the failure to publish the agreement and inform citizens, private institutions, the private sector and interested institutions about the details of the agreement and its confidentiality is contrary to the principles of transparency and the citizen's right to access information, especially in a vital sector such as electricity.
Khalil Rizk, Head of the Palestinian Chambers, stated that the file should be raised and officially clarified by the Palestinian government and that credible information should be provided without any leaving any suspicion to the Palestinian citizen. Rizk pledged that he would ask Prime Minister Dr.Rami Al-Hamdallah pointing out the importance of the national and sovereign dimension of Palestine in such agreements without allowing the Israeli government to control an important and vital sector such as electricity.
Social Accountability is a Right for Citizens
Director of Bisan Center for Research and Development Mr.etraf Al-Rimawi acknowledged that these contracts affect the life of the Palestinian citizen and their basic rights. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the voice and demand the publication of its details, including its cost, usage rights and tariff. It provides for the realization of social and popular control so that the citizen is aware of everything since the citizen has the right to interpret as he wishes.
According to the agreement, the Palestinian government agreed to pay 500 million NIS to the Israel Electric Corporation from the clearing account, and to pay another 1 billion NIS to 72 monthly installments, while the fines and interest would be written off by 500 million NIS of that debt of 1800 Million NIS, to be committed to pay the value of the entire electricity bill in the future for the Israeli company.
The agreement also includes the transfer of the management of all network points of direct connection in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from the Israeli side to the Palestinian side through the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Company and the operation of the main switching stations that were recently built.
