GAZA: LIMITED FUEL SHIPMENTS TO RESUME 4/16

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000652 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/SHAMPAINE/SACHAR; PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR CONNOLLY; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2013 TAGS: ECON EAGR KWBG PHUM IS SUBJECT: GAZA: LIMITED FUEL SHIPMENTS TO RESUME 4/16 REF: JERUSALEM 614 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: According to PA contacts, the GOI will allow shipments of industrial fuel for the power plant and cooking gas into Gaza on April 16 via the Nahal Oz fuel transfer station. Nahal Oz has been closed since April 10, following a terrorist attack that killed two Israelis. Gaza fuel distributors remain on strike in protest of low levels of fuel shipments. The Gaza power plant reportedly has three days of fuel remaining, while hospitals have one to two weeks of fuel for their generators. Humanitarian and commercial food shipments entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom and Sufa crossings on April 13-15, allowing about 80 truckloads/day of humanitarian and food shipments. End summary. Nahal Oz Fuel Station To Reopen For Industrial Fuel and Cooking Gas -------------- ¶2. (C) Director of the Palestinian Petroleum Corporation Mujahid Salama confirmed to Econoff on April 15 that the GOI informed him that the Nahal Oz station would be open on April 16 for shipments of industrial fuel to the Gaza power plant, as well as cooking gas. However, Salama said that he had been told that shipments of diesel and gasoline would be not be re-started on April 16. Nahal Oz has been closed since April 10, following a terrorist attack that killed two Israelis civilians. Salama said that 900,000 liters of diesel fuel and 150,000 of gasoline remain in storage on the Gaza side of the transfer station. ¶3. (C) Vice Chairman of the Gaza Fuel Distribution Union (GFDU) Mahmoud Khozendar told Econoff on April 14 that the GFDU strike, which was declared on April 7 (ref),is ongoing, as union members refuse to deliver diesel and gasoline shipments until fuel levels meet "much more than 20 percent of demand." Khozendar conveyed that, in addition to the political message they are trying to send, Gaza gas station owners are trying to avoid having to decide who gets fuel from limited quantities available - a reality that puts them in an uncomfortable situation. Power Plant Has Four Days of Fuel Supplies -------------- ¶4. (C) Gaza Power Plant Director Rafiq Maliha told Econoff that his plant has not received fuel supplies since April 10, spurring him to reduce the plant's output from 55 MW to 45 MW on April 11 in order to extend plant operations. On April 15, he said that, at 45 MW output, the plant has three days of industrial diesel fuel remaining. Hospital Fuel Reserves Low; Immobility Due to Low Fuel Supplies -------------- ¶5. (C) WHO Gaza Director Mahmoud Daher said on April 15 that the Ministry of Health in Gaza has 90,000 liters of diesel fuel in storage, enough to fuel hospital generators for one to two weeks if current levels of electricity remain. He said that many Gaza hospital employees have not reported to work in recent days due to the lack of fuel. Daher said that only 10 percent of Gaza cars have been in use in recent days due to the fuel shortage. ¶6. (SBU) Student attendance at university classes in Gaza has dropped significantly in recent days due to the lack of fuel for transportation needs. Student absenteeism this week has ranged from 20-60 percent, according to press reports and our Gaza contacts, and, as a result, Gaza's major universities announced their closure from April 15-17. Kerem Shalom and Sufa Remain Open -------------- ¶7. (SBU) OCHA contacts in Gaza confirmed that Kerem Shalom and Sufa crossings were open April 13-15, allowing an approximate 80 truckloads/day of food and humanitarian shipments into Gaza. WALLES