INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Gaza: Some Shipments of Food and Fuel;

Published: Wed 6 Feb 2008 02:51 PM
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INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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TAGS: EAID ECON KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: GAZA: SOME SHIPMENTS OF FOOD AND FUEL;
DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL RE-STARTS
REF: JERUSALEM 168
1. (SBU) Summary: Forty-five truckloads of commercial and
humanitarian shipments entered Gaza through Sufa crossing on
February 6, while Kerem Shalom remained closed. Fuel
transfers were made via Nahal Oz transfer station, supplying
the Gaza Power Plant with sufficient fuel to continue to
produce 55 MW/day. Gaza's electricity supply meets roughly
65 percent of current demand, and Gaza residences receive
roughly eight hours of water from municipal pumps each day.
The Gas Station Owners Association has agreed to re-start
fuel distribution services in Gaza, while blaming "Hamas,
Ramallah, and Israel" for the low level of fuel imports. End
summary.
Limited Shipments of Food and Fuel
----------------------------------
2. (SBU) OCHA and WFP contacts said that Sufa crossing was
open on February 6. Fifteen truckloads of commercial dairy
and fruit shipments, 13 truckloads of WFP aid shipments, and
roughly 17 others containing NGO aid shipments entered Gaza.
WFP logistics contacts said that Kerem Shalom crossing
remained closed on February 6, and that it was last open on
January 23.
3. (SBU) Palestinian Petroleum Corporation Director in Gaza
Mujahid Salama said that the following fuel shipments were
transferred at the Nahal Oz fuel transfer station on February
6:
- industrial fuel for Gaza Power Plant - 450,000 liters
- diesel fuel - 175,000
- gasoline - none
- cooking/heating gas - 220 tons
Power Plant Generating, But Supply Falls Short
--------------------------------------------- -
4. (SBU) Gaza Power Plant Project Manager Rafiq Maliha told
Econoff that his plant continues to generate an average
output of 55 MW/day of electricity - 45 MW during the day and
65 MW during night-time peak demand hours. He noted that the
plant's limited number of fuel filters are being used up
quickly due to the lack of fuel reserves. Maliha noted that
the plant's three turbines are capable of generating 85 MW.
He said that Gaza's current overall power supply of 190 MW
(118 MW from Israeli feeder lines; 17 MW from Egypt; and 55
MW from the Power Plant) meets around 65 percent of Gaza's
current demand, given the depressed levels of economic
activity.
5. (SBU) OCHA contacts in Gaza said that one of the eleven
Israeli feeder lines into Gaza has not been functioning since
January 29, resulting in additional power shortages in Gaza
City. The non-fuctioning line normally supplies the Gaza
City grid with 12 MW. OCHA has been told that the line may
be repaired on February 7.
Limited Running Water To Residences
-----------------------------------
6. (SBU) Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU)
engineer Monther Shoblak said on February 6 that nearly all
Gazans are receiving roughly eight hours of water from the
municipal pumps to their homes each day, as last week's fuel
shipment of 150,000 liters to the CMWU supplied all of the
140 municipal pumping stations with fuel for their
generators. The CMWU is running most pumping stations with
their emergency generators because of the unreliable and
insufficient electricity flow from the grid.
Association Decides To Re-start Fuel Distribution Services
--------------------------------------------- ------------
7. (SBU) Vice Chairman of the Gaza Petroleum and Gas Station
Owners' Association Mahmoud Khozendar told Econoff on
February 6 that his membership resumed delivery of diesel
fuel stored on the Gaza side of the Nahal Oz fuel transfer
station. He said that 400,000 liters of diesel fuel were
delivered on February 5-6 to hospitals, NGOs, and private
companies; and 800,000 liters were delivered to gas stations
- an estimated three-day supply. Khozendar said that his
membership also distributed 100,000 liters of gasoline to
local gas stations - an amount that was bought in less than
JERUSALEM 00000213 002 OF 002
two hours.
8. (SBU) Khozendar said that his association had decided on
February 5 to re-start distributions from Nahal Oz, stressing
that "Hamas, Ramallah, and Israel have the Gaza fuel shortage
burden squarely on their shoulders now." He said that the
Association's reasoning behind its previous refusal to
deliver fuel was to stress the fact that "these low fuel
import levels are completely unacceptable and against
international law."
WALLES
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