GAZA: SOME SHIPMENTS OF FOOD AND FUEL;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000213 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: N/A 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