Qatar donates $60M to gas pipeline for Gaza electricity

By Jaafar Qasim

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Qatar pledged $60 million and the European Union $24 million to establish a gas pipeline from Israel to a power plant in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by the Palestinian Prime Ministry on Wednesday.

The pledges were made during an online meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, Qatari envoy to Gaza Mohammad al-Emadi and EU representative Sven Burgsdorff.

Shtayyeh stressed the importance of the project "to provide higher and uninterrupted electrical current in a move that would solve the electricity problem in Gaza."

The statement said they also discussed plans to develop the Gaza power generating plant to convert it to work on gas.

The Gaza Strip suffers a severe shortage in electricity supply. The plant produces 60 megawatts instead of 140 megawatts and depends on costly diesel fuel.

Gaza also imports 120 megawatts from Israel, however, the actual need for Gaza exceeds 500 megawatts.

Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara