Gaza Gripped by Cold and Darkness After Israel Blocks Delivery of Fuel

Washington Post ^ | January 21, 2008 | Ellen Knickmeyer

[3AngelaD]

JERUSALEM -- Gaza's only power plant ceased operating in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night, plunging much of the territory of 1.5 million Palestinians into darkness and winter cold. Palestinian officials said a three-day-old Israeli blockade had exhausted the fuel needed to run the plant. Israeli officials halted the delivery of food, fuel and other goods into Gaza on Friday in response to days of increased rocket fire from the territory into Israel. On Sunday, Israel accused the Palestinians of exaggerating the impact of the blockade.

Hamas, the armed Islamic movement that controls the Gaza Strip, said hospitals were operating on generators, endangering the steady power supply needed ...

The lights went out in Gaza about 8 p.m., when Palestinian officials shut down the second of the plant's two turbines.... Lines formed at bakeries as Gaza's residents stocked up on food and shortages grew....

Israeli officials closed checkpoints into Gaza on Friday, halting shipments into the territory, after four days in which Palestinian fighters fired more than 150 rockets from Gaza into Israel.... Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said Sunday night that Hamas had shut off power to most of Gaza unnecessarily.

"There's a blackout because they want to fabricate a crisis," Mekel said.

Gaza receives about 25 percent of its electricity from its power plant, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. Egypt supplies 5 percent. Five power lines from Israel supply the remaining 70 percent, and those lines were still supplying power to Gaza despite the blockade, Mekel said....

Meanwhile, Mekel noted "a very significant reduction" in the number of rockets fired from Gaza since Friday. About four have fallen in the past two days, down from roughly 50 a day earlier in the week, he said.

[3AngelaD]

To sum up, they still have 75 percent of the power they had before, yet there is a "crisis," the lights have gone off, the hospitals are closing, bread lines are forming. And there has been a "significant" reduction in the number of rockets fired at Israel. Since it is going to be blamed and chastised by the world, anyway, Israel should just go ahead and turn off that other 70 percent it provides and see how they like it.

[AU72]

They can power the electricity with all the rocket fuel they have first.

[Izzy Dunne]

there is a "crisis," the lights have gone off, the hospitals are closing, bread lines are forming.

Don't forget: women and minorities hardest hit.

[rhombus]

Does anyone in the world still know how to play hard ball besides terrorists, thugs and the Clintons? ;-)

[samtheman]

The children! You didn’t mention the children!

[West Coast Conservative]

Boo hoo.

[pnh102]

Israel will cave as long as Olmert is in charge. Give it a couple of days. The UN will whine and Israel will cave.

The Israel of old would not have put up with this kind of BS. It would have carpet-bombed Gaza out of existence even if one rocket made it over the border.

[mommadooo3]

Since the diaperheads wanted to play 'hardball', perhaps they should have made plans when their power suppliers decided to play right back.

GO ISRAEL!!!

[fella]

And the enviroment don’t forget the enviroment. Uuuh oh wait, by reducing their carbon footprint they’re .......................... Dang it. It’s Bush’s fault.

[LonePalm]

Read the whole story. It wasn't Israel.

Israel has recently allowed shipments of food and fuel.

The "crisis" is manufactured by Hamas.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[samtheman]

My only question is do they lobotomize Palestinians at birth or do they way till they’re a little older before cropping their cortex?

[Abathar]

Trying.... Trying..... Nope, just can't work up any tears for them.

You make your own bed then don't complain when you have to lie in it.

[ml/nj]

Anyone who thinks the light for this photograph came from the candles these people are holding has never seen a la Tour painting.

Picture come from Lights on, Nobody Home story from Honest Reporting. The la Tour picture is The Magdalen with the Smoking Flame, now in the LA County Museum.

I cannot understand why the Israelis supply a single killawatt, or anything else for that matter, to the Palies.

ML/NJ

[Telepathic Intruder]

But short-range surface-to-surface rockets are the only way the poor Palestinians have to fight back!

[3AngelaD]

Who said it was? I read the whole story, and posted it. Did you read my comments? I was the one who pointed out that Hamas is manufacturing this entire crisis and imposing hardship on its own people.

[longtermmemmory]

Reporters not doing their job in reporting by INVESTIGATING.

They would know that the power outages are controlled and selective.

but journalistic malpractice is ok if he hurts.

[Soliton]

Israel should shut off the other 70%

[Ben Chad]

No sympathy here either.

[ArrogantBustard]

Uhhhh .... guys? Yeah, you with the tablecloths on your heads!

Just a suggestion ...

Cut it out with the rockets, and build you own friggin' powerplant.

Then you won't need to worry about the evilnastyhorriblejooooooooooooooooos.